To Change a Stone Cold Man
by NekaMo
Summary: Disclaimer: I own nothing Harry Potter! When Severus betrays the Dark Lord to save Hermione, what will happen? When Hermione betrays him, the entire order and Harry to boot, what wil happen? Will anyone ever be happy again? Will good triumph over evil?
1. Good Night Hermione

Who would have thought that I'd be the one

To change a stone cold man?

Who would have thought that I'd do it

By falling in love with him?

Who ever thought it'd be funny

To throw me and him together?

Who would have thought that man'd be you?

And who would have thought

That when I looked back,

I wouldn't've have changed a thing?

Poem by: Me

Chapter One

Good night…Hermione

Hermione gasped for breath as she ran up a steep hill. She wanted to stop. She desperately needed to stay still long enough to get rid of this stitch in her side, but she couldn't. A blast to the right of her reminded of that. She let out a squeal and if possible, ran even faster. She reached the top of the hill, and looked back for a split second, her honey brown hair flying about her head. There, running up the side of the hill was Avery, Nott, and McNair. _Couldn't they just leave them alone?_ she wondered as she spun her head back, and rolled kind of gracefully down the hill. At the bottom, she jumped up and looked back again. He was rolling down the hill after her, and the death eaters hadn't reached the crest of the hill yet. She watched as black hair and black robes rolled down the hill. In a split second, she remembered how she had gotten into this situation…

* * *

_**Two Days Prior**_

Knock!!! Knock!!! Knock!!! _Who was pounding on her front door at sixth thirty in the bloody morning? She wondered as she walked to the door, drying her wet hair with a towel as she went. She had managed to pull on a pair of dark blue pants and a dark green tank top. _

"_I'm coming!!! Jeez," she added under her breath as the knocking got louder and more annoying. Had they no respect? They were going to wake up her parents! And on their anniversary too!!! She opened the door, saw who it was, and before she could scream, a rather pale—paler than usual—__Severus Snape__ put one of his hands over her mouth, one on her shoulder, guiding her back into her house, and shutting the door with his foot._

"_Now, __Granger__, I'm going to remove my hand, and don't scream. I don't want your parents waking up. Alright?" he asked. She shook her head. He sighed. He looked her straight in the eyes for a second or to, and let her go. She went to scream, but no sound came out. She put a hand to her throat and glared at him._

"_Listen! I am here to warn you!" he hissed, glancing up the stairs, and then pulling her into the sitting room just to the right of the door_. (When you first walk in, you turn right, for all of you who can get confused ^_^) _She went wide eyed at him, confused. What could he possibly come here to warn_ her _about?_

"_A group of __Death Eaters__ will be here in a matter of hours," he whispered. Her eyes went wide, and she let out a silent scream, her mouth still shut and the silence charm still in place. "You can't leave though." Her eyebrows knit together in sheer confusion. "If you do, they'll know you were tipped off, and just come back another time, and they'll suspect me," he whispered. She gestured to her throat. "Will you scream?" She shook her head. "Will you make any noise to alert anyone that I'm here?" Again she shook her head. "Very well." He took the charm off of her._

"_Why should I trust you? The order trusted you, and you betrayed them," she whispered, not wanting to wake her parents._

"_First off, I was only acting under __Dumbledore__'s orders. He told me to do whatever was necessary to keep the Dark Lord's trust. Second of all, I'm your only chance of survival," he whispered._

"_How so?" she asked._

"_I am in the group of death eaters assigned to kill you. No other death eater knows about this mission. I will cause a distraction of some sort, long enough for you to get away, understood?" he asked. She looked at him for a long moment, and then nodded. For some reason she believed him. She knew in her gut he wasn't lying. "Good. Now you'll have to use this. They can trace apparition," he said, giving her a pocket watch. "All you have to do is active it by rubbing the face of the watch twice counterclockwise and once clockwise." She didn't look up from the watch, but nodded. He stood up._

"_Remember Granger, you don't leave before we get here, or it could be both of our lives," he warned, and left with a_ POP! _The rest of the morning his visit plagued her as she made her parents breakfast in bed, and brought their omelets, coffee, and tea up to them. Then she went back to her room. She could make it seem that she had been planning to go to the burrow early…No. A trunk would slow her down. Then there was a bang of the front door blasting open._

"_Go upstairs!! The wrench's parents will be up there!" she heard a gruff voice say, then heard three pairs of heavy foot steps on the stairs. Her heart started to race, but she forced herself to be calm. Panicking would definitely_ not _help at the moment._

_Five pairs of footsteps coming down the stairs._

"_Come out, Granger! Come out or we'll kill your parents right now!" called the gruff voice. One hand out and clenching her wand, and one in her pocket, clenching the pocket watch, she left her room, and walked down the hall to the sitting room where they were. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw her mother in her night gown and her father in his pjs on their knees in front of two death eaters that held their hands securely behind their backs with a spell._

"_Let go of them, Macnair. Your strife is with me," she said, her voice even, recognizing the man who had been speaking as the man who had been sent to behead Buckbeak four years previously._

"_Aww!! Would you look at that! Big Bad Granger wants me to let her Daddy and Mummy go! I'm soo scared!!" He said in a baby voice, and fake cowered away from her. She stood there patiently as he did this, trying hard not to roll her eyes._

"_Tell me, do all death eaters like to mock their victims and get them pissed off, or are they all that stupid?" she asked. He glared at her for a split second before grinning evilly and pointing his wand at her._

"_Crucio!!!" he yelled. She fell to the floor, withering in pain from the fire running throughout her entire body, but she refused to scream. She had Moody do this curse on her time and time again to train her body to get used to the pain. Finally the pure agony ended. She caught her breath, and got slowly rose to her feet, before shaking her hair out of her face, and staring Macnair in the eye._

"_Is that all you've got, bastard?" she demanded, her voice low, but by no means a whisper. He stared in shock, along with the other death eaters, and then he grinned, and turned his wand on her mother. She let no trace of emotion cross her face. He looked from her mother up to her, grinning in a scary evil way._

"_ADVADA KEDAVA!!!" he yelled. Her mother was lost in a flash of green light._

"_NO!!!!!" her father yelled as Karen Granger fell to the floor, dead. "YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!" he yelled at Macnair. Hermione looked at him. Such language she had never heard from her father before._

"_You're next," he hissed, and pointed his wand at her father. Hermione's hand clenched around her wand so hard that her knuckles were white and sparks were flying out of the tip._

"_ADVADA KEDAVA!!!" he yelled, and Hermione watched as Roger Granger also crumpled to the floor, dead. Hermione swung her wand arm up, to her shoulder, and then flung it in an arch away from her. All of the death eaters flew back into the wall. Hermione pulled her hand out of her pocket, and in doing so dropped the watch._

"_Crucio!!!" she screamed. Macnair began to whither and scream in pain._

"_Impedimentia!!!" a death eater screamed, and she flew into the kitchen island. All she saw was stars for a few moments but she got up anyway, and found a glass she had been drinking from earlier. She grabbed it, and_ _slowly walked back into the sitting room, and threw it at a female death eater's face. It hit its mark and shattered at it hit her nose. She screamed and howled in pain as glass shards went into her broken nose, her cheeks, lips, eyes, and forehead._

_Professor Snape__ took action when Granger was thrown. He calmly walked over and picked up the pocket watch, and stroked it twice counterclockwise. Suddenly __Dell__ screamed in pain, and he looked up at her. Apparently Granger had gotten a glass and thrown it at her. _'Way to go, Granger.'_ he thought, and walked behind her. He put an arm around her shoulders, felt her gasp, and reach for his arm, but he rubbed the watch clockwise, and they were gone. They landed in a heap._

"_WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT FOR!?!?!" she demanded getting to her feet._

"_I told you that you had to get out of there, didn't I? Now, thanks to you, we're both in danger," he said._

"_You're the one who grabbed me!" she said. He shook his head._

"_Come. It is at least half a year's journey to London ," he said._

"_Why would we go there?" she asked._

"_That's where the Order is. You'll be safe there," he said._

"_Why do you care so much?" she asked. He either didn't want respond to that or just didn't hear because he was already walking off._

* * *

They had been on the run ever since. Death Eaters occasionally found them and chased them, trying to kill them like now. Professor Snape came to a stop at the bottom of the hill, and Hermione grabbed his arm, helping him up, and they set off running into the muggle town that was over the next hill. As they started to climb it, a spell hit the hill right beside her, and she screamed, and fell. Professor Snape came back, grabbed her arm, and helped her up, and helped her run faster up the hill. They crested the hill, and ran down it, and through the town. They turned around. Apparently the Death Eaters had given up the chase once again. They sighed, and Hermione walked into a general store, and bought some chips for them. Professor Snape took one, grateful. As he ate, he took in his young companions' raggedy appearance. Her tank top was covered with dried mud, and grass stains. Black marks from the residue of spells were right on and under her right boob, on the lower left corner of her front, and in the middle of her back. Her pants had dried mud up to the mid thighs, and grass stains on the knees and butt. Her hair was a mess, grass and leaves in it, bushy from all of he tangles in it, but her face bore no sign of labor really. She looked happy and rather carefree as she munched on her chips, staring at the town well… He shook his head, and returned to his chips.

* * *

"We should make camp," Professor Snape said three hours later as they approached a wooded area. The sun was going down. She nodded, and they went into the middle of the small wooded area, and laid down two blankets they had managed to buy. As they were laying there, about to sleep, Hermione spoke.

"Professor Snape?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, Granger?" he asked.

"Why?"

"Why what, Granger?"

"Why did you save me? Why are you doing this?" she asked the questions that had been bugging her ever since that morning two days ago.

"I don't know, Granger. Probably because you remind me of me when I was your age," he said.

"Oh?" she asked.

"Always had to be the best at everything, I did, but someone managed to beat me in something along the way. I would always have my hand up to answer a question a teacher asked. Always got high marks on all my tests. In other words, at school,_ I_ was the insufferable-know-it-all," he said. She stared at him.

"Hmm. I never knew that," she said.

"Now you do," he said.

"Now I do."

"Oh, and Granger?" he asked.

"Yeah?"

"Go to sleep." She smiled, and rolled onto her side, facing him.

"Good night, Professor," she said, and fell asleep.

"Good night…Hermione." And he rolled over away from her, and fell asleep.


	2. Walking, Worrying, and Talking

Chapter Two

Walking, Worrying, and Talking

Hermione woke up to the smell of beacon. She opened her eyes. Professor Snape was at a fire, his back towards her, and there was a plate of beacon in front of her. She smiled, and grabbed a piece. She ate it hungrily. It was delicious. She had been rather shocked that he knew how to cook the first time he had cooked. She stood up, and walked over. She sat down beside him at the fire. He looked at her.

"Morning." She yawned.

"Good morning." He said. She ate another piece of beacon. He watched her.

"Hungry?" He asked.

"No. This is just really good beacon. Where'd you learn to cook?" She asked.

"My Grandmother taught me when I went to live with her." He said.

"You lived with your grandmother?"

"While my mother was sick, yes." He said. He had a thoughtful look on his face as he stared into the fire.

"Oh my. I'm sorry." She said. "Although I must say, I'm not sorry she taught you to make beacon. It's delicious." She said.

"She always did love her beacon." He chuckled.

_BOOM!!!!_ They jumped as they heard the explosion. They ran to the edge of the woods and looked. Hermione gasped. There was a smoke cloud with bits of fire entwined init right where that town was.

"They're on to us. We've got to move." Professor Snape said. They packed up camp, and walked on.

* * *

HP  
* * *

Harry was pacing around the parlor at Grimauld place.

"Harry, sit down." Remus said.

"Don't _tell_ me to sit down!! Just two days ago, the order goes to pick up Hermione, and all they find is a burnt lot and two bodies!! We don't even know if she's alive!!!" Harry yelled

"Harry, we're all worried about her. You can't let it get to you." Tonks said.

"SHE'S MY BEST FRIEND!!!! SHE'S ONLY IN THIS POSITION BECAUSE OF ME!!!! I AM NOT JUST GOING TO SIT HERE AND DO NOTHING!!!" He yelled, and began to walk out of the room, but Remus grabbed his arm.

"Harry, no. We can't risk you getting attacked." He said.

"Remus, I can't just sit here. It's driving me nuts!" Harry said, pulling his arm from the man's grip.

"He's right, Harry." This time it was Ron who spoke. "She'll be fine. She's a big witch, and she can take care of herself. She's proven that more than once. Besides, she'd want us to stay here and help the order as much as we can." At this he stood up and walked over to Harry and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm worried about her too mate, but there's nothing we can do but wait." He said. Harry finally nodded. He sat down. Arthur walked in.

"There's been an attack." He said. "A muggle town. A few hundred miles outside of Zhytomyr." He said. "Blown to bits. These attacks are getting worse and worse." He said.

"Do you think Hermione-"

"No. We have reports about her being somewhere in Germany." He said.

"Is she safe?"

"As far as we can tell Harry." He said. Harry stood up and went up to his room.

* * *

HG

* * *

Hermione sighed as they finally sat down around noon for a quick bite to eat. Her feet were sore, but she had a few miles left in her. She watched as Professor Snape dug through his bag looking for the two sandwiches he had in there. She wondered about his past. He had told her that his grandmother had taught him to cook, and his mother had gotten sick. He was a know-it-all while he was at school, but nothing else. He finally withdrew two sandwiches.

"Mustard or Mayo?" He asked.

"Mayo. I _hate_ mustard." She said. He tossed her one of the sandwiches, and stood up, grabbing his bag. He sat next to her on a large rock. They ate in silence. "Professor?" She asked.

"Yes, Mrs. Granger?" He asked, his voice silky smooth, looking out over the field they were in. He wanted to see the death eaters before they saw him.

"What did your mother fall sick of? When you went to live with your grandmother?" She asked.

"Fever." He said.

"Oh my. Did she-"

"She died. Four days after I went to live with my grandmother." He said, finishing his sandwich. He stood up, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "We should get a move on. I don't like being in the open like this" He said. She held her sandwich in one hand, swung her bag over her shoulder, switched hands, and put the other strap over her other shoulder. They had stopped at the first town they had come to after they had portkeyed from her house and bought supplies. She followed him, eating her sandwich in silence. She knew better than to pester him. He didn't like the subject, and she knew better than to push it.

* * *

After awhile, they came to another wooded area to sleep before moving on in the morning. As they laid down with the fire crackling merrily at their feet, she spoke.

"You know, I used to have a twin." She said, her hands folding under her head, staring up at a bit of starry sky peeking through the leafy canopy. She saw him roll over and look at her from the corner of her eye. "His name was Paul. He died in a car accident when we were seven."

"I'm sorry." He said. She was rather shocked. She didn't even know why she was telling him of all people about this. She hadn't even told Ron or Harry.

"Don't worry. I've learned to accept it. Besides. It was storming pretty hard then. The car in front of us stopped suddenly, and dad had to slam on the breaks. I remember that lightening flashed as we spun off the road. The tail end of the car hit a tree, causing it to fall on the car. Mum and Dad were knocked out, and I had a concussion. Paul died on contact. I was barely conscious when the ambulance came. They got mum and dad out first, and then saw me. They pulled me out, and I was screaming. Calling out Paul's name. They finally managed to pull him out, and I lost consciousness, crying over his body. I woke up a week later in the hospital. My mother and father were asleep in the room. My mother's face showed signs of long crying. My father had a look of worry on his face, even in his sleep. I put my hand on my mother's, and she woke, groggy, and then perked up when she saw that I was awake. She hugged me, and started to cry. When I asked her where Paul was, she cried harder. Father woke up and saw me, and smiled. But it was a sad smile. I found out a few hours later that Paul had died on contact. After that I didn't speak. I fell into a depression for days afterward. I didn't stop until my friend, Joanne, literally slapped me, and told me to stop feeling sorry for my self. After that, I changed. I tried to make it up to my parents by being the best I could be. I felt I had to make it up to them for Paul dieing. That's why I am the way I am. A know-it-all. Smart, bookworm." She said. "All because I somehow feel it's my fault. Paul had wanted to sit behind Dad, but I wouldn't let him. If I had, he'd still be alive."

"But you'd be dead." Professor Snape said.

"Yeah. But I'd gladly give my life to give Paul back to my parents. I could tell they had always secretly wished it had been me that had died. They had always wanted a son. A girl would be okay, but a son would be better." She said.

"You'd give your life to make someone else happy?" He asked.

"Yeah. I would. I give my life to save those I love. In the final battle, if it meant saving the world, or giving Harry time he needed to destroy Voldemort, I'd die in a heartbeat, no second thought to it." She said.

"But why? I mean, you'd die, and you wouldn't be able to see the fruits of your effort." He said.

"It wouldn't matter. I'd know that I had done my part to give the wizarding world peace of mind." She said.

"I still don't get it." He said.

"Have you ever loved someone, you felt like you'd do anything for them?" She asked, rolling over, and looking at him.

"No." He said, looking at the fire.

"Oh…What about your mother or father?" She asked.

"What about them?"

"Didn't you care about them? Or they for you?" She asked.

"My father hated me. He'd go out, get drunk, and beat me when he came back home. My mother was too busy to care for me. Being a witch version of what muggles call scientists. I don't think it ever really donned on her that I existed." He said. "I had to learn to fend for myself when I was about five. I was cooking for myself when I was seven. My father would make me make him dinner, and when I didn't do it the way he wanted, he'd beat me." He said.

"I'm so sorry. That must have been horrible." She said.

"I survived. But that's why I was the know-it-all bookworm. I did my best so that I could get my parents to be proud of me for something. My father didn't care. He just thought it made me a goody-two-shoes. He hated goody-two-shoes. It only made him beat me harder."

"Didn't your mother ever notice?"

"No. She'd come home late at night, to tired to do anything but sleep. And I would always cover it up with a weak vanishing potion." He said. She nodded. Now she knew why he was so cold. No one's ever loved him before. He's never loved anyone either. She felt bad for him.

"So why? Why did you do all this for me? Save my life? Warn me? Even though it put yourself in danger?" She asked.

"I don't know, Hermione. I don't know." He said, and with that, he rolled over. She noticed that he had called her Hermione. She smiled, and sighed. She was cracking his hard shell.

"Good night, Professor." She said, and closed her eyes, falling into a peaceful sleep.


	3. Encounters of a Deadly Kind

Chapter Three

Encounters of a Deadly Kind

She woke up, not but two hours or so later. She opened her eyes, looking to see what woke her. Then she realized something. She hadn't _heard_ anything. She had _sensed_ it. She sat bolt up straight. Professor Snape was still soundly asleep. She looked up through the canopy. Then she saw a huge figure block out the stars for a second or two. She gasped. She jumped up, and ran over to Professor Snape. She grabbed his shoulder, and began to shake him furiously.

"Professor. Professor, wake up! You must wake up now!"

"What is it Granger?" He demanded, glaring at her.

"Dragon. There's a dragon flying overhead." He sat up straight.

"Are you sure?" He asked, looking up.

"Yes. I sensed it, and it woke me up. I'm not sure why it's here, Professor, but it can't be good." She said. He looked doubtful, but then they heard the unmistakable roar of a dragon. Professor Snape's eyes widened.

"Damn it." He said. "It's a Norwegian redbreast."

"It that bad?"

"You think that horntail Potter had to face in fourth year was bad, it's nothing compared to redbreasts. They're famous for their nasty tempers. They see you anywhere near their nest, even if you're miles away, they won't stop hunting you until you're dead, or they are." He said. Her eyes were huge. "We need to pack up. Be silent about it." She nodded. She packed up the bags while he put out the fire, and scattered leaves and the burnt wood so that the area looked untouched. They quietly crept to the edge of the woods, and saw the dragon flying over head, circling like a vulture, calling others to let them know fresh prey was about. Hermione didn't like that look of it.

"Can't we just dissaparate?" She asked.

"No. Apparation can be traced." He said. "The death eaters can follow us that way." He said.

"Well, they seem to be doing well enough now." She said.

"Yes, but they can track us much quicker if we dissaparate." He said. "Come here." He said, stepping a bit back into the woods. She followed. He took out his wand and rapped her on the head. She felt ice going down her body. She knew he had just put a concealing charm on her. She was now invisible. Professor Snape then rapped his own head, and he too disappeared.

"Hold out your hand, Granger." He said. She did. She felt his fingertips brush hers, then grip them, and pull her closer to him, so that he could fully hold her hand.

"Stay as close as you can." He said. She nodded. Then realized he couldn't see her.

"Alright." She said. She felt him pull on her hand, and allowed him to guide her out of woods, onto the plain. They had only gone a few feet though before they heard it let out an angry cry. They looked up to see it aiming its mouth at them to shot fire.

"Run!" She heard Professor Snape yell. She felt him start running, still keeping a hold on her hand. She ran after him. Then a fire ball slammed into the ground with such force that it knocked them down.

"COME ON!" Professor Snape yelled, pulling her to her feet, and they began running again. As they ran, Professor Snape flicked his wand, and they both became visible again. He still didn't let go of her hand. They kept running, dodging fireballs. Hermione tripped, and her hand was retched out of Professor Snape's. She screamed as the dragon landed a few yards behind her, and came walking up to her, growling, and building up another fireball. Professor Snape ran back to her. He grabbed her hand again.

"Come on! Get up!" He yelled. She got up, and sucking in her breath from the pain from her broken ankle, ran after him. She screamed, and dragged him to the ground just in time as a fireball shot over their heads. She glanced back and saw something strange. Professor Snape had pulled her to her feet, and was trying to make her run again.

"GRANGER!!! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!! RUN!!!" He yelled.

"NO! WAIT!" She answered, yanking her hand from his. She turned to the dragon. She had been meaning to test this out for some time. It had happened on accident back home when her drink was far too hot. What would happen if she _wanted_ it to happen? She held her hands out in front of her, thumbs together, palms facing the dragon.

"GRANGER, WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?!?!" She heard Professor Snape yell.

"SHUT UP!!" She said, and concentrated. As the dragon took a deep breath to shoot fire, her hands glowed with a very light, white blue light. As the Dragon shot the fireball at her, a shield of pure ice formed slowly, but quickly enough between her and the dragon. She smiled. Professor Snape stared, eyes wide. It couldn't be. _She had the power to possess the elements!!!_ She walked towards the dragon, gathering cold as she walked. It took a deep breath. As it opened its mouth, and Hermione could see the glow in the back of its throat, she threw her right hand towards it from the side, and a jet of icy water flew into its mouth, and down its throat. It hacked, withering. Finally only a small stream of steam came out of its mouth. It looked as if it would fly away.

"It's alright." She said softly, holding out a hand towards it, and walking slowly to it. It cowered slightly from her, but otherwise stayed still. Professor Snape watched from a distance as the young witch approached the dragon, and gently laid her hand on its nose, petting it and soothing it. She reminded him of Rubeus Hagrid. Always loving on creatures that could tare you limb form limb. He watched in interest as Hermione walked more towards its body and began to fiddle with something around its neck.

"Professor, come here." She called. He walked up to her from the side of the dragon. He saw what she had been fiddling with. There was a black collar around its neck.

"It's a collar." He said.

"I know _that_." She said. "What I mean is _that_." She said, pointing to a symbol that was engraved in the black leather. Professor Snape took a sharp intake of breath.

"Damn." He muttered. It was a skull with a snake coming out of its mouth – the dark mark. He took his wand out. "Let's get you out of this dreadful thing." He muttered to the dragon. He slid his hand under the collar, and pointed his wand at it. He cast the diffindo spell and it cut cleanly in half. He grabbed an end, and pulled it off the dragon. It shook its head, feeling free from the strap of black leather that had been around its neck. And the awful wizard it had been commanded to follow. It turned its head around, and looked at them. It growled softly, almost like a purr.

"You're welcome." Hermione said, patting its nose. "What's your name?" She asked. It growled. "So you're a girl then?" It nodded. She smiled.

"Please tell me you can't understand it." Professor Snape said, weary. She looked at him.

"But I can." She said. "I don't know how, or why, but I can. Her name is Rachael." Professor Snape looked at the dragon. He took a step back, and bowed.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Rachael." He said. "I am Professor Severus Snape." The dragon chortled. Hermione giggled.

"What did she say?" He asked.

"You might not want to know." Hermione said through her giggles.

"No, really. What did she say?"

"That you looked like a tall mess of angles and grease." Hermione said, and burst into another fit of giggles, clutching her stomach, bent over half. He shook his head. Maybe he _should_ do something about his hair…

"Come. We must get more sleep if we are to continue our way to London." He said. Then Rachael let out a rumble. Hermione looked at her.

"Are you sure?...Very well…I suppose…Lets see. What do you think about her flying us to London. Or rather, just outside of London?" She asked. He stared at her.

"Is she willing to do that? On her own free will?" He asked.

"Yes. She feels she must repay us for freeing her from Voldemort's control." Hermione said.

"Very well. But we will fly by night. Less of a chance of being seen. We shall start now, but we will soon have to stop for there are maybe three hours of darkness left." He said.

"How long will it take with her helping us?" Hermione asked.

"Approximately a moth." He said.

"Still a long time…" She muttered.

"Yes, but better than half a year, yes?" He asked. She looked at him and nodded.

"Where are we, anyway?" She asked.

"I'd say somewhere between Kiev and Rivne in the Ukraine." He said. "Closer to Zhytomyr than either." He said.

"So we still have thousands of miles to cover." She said. He nodded.

"Then let's get going." She said, smiling. Rachael crouched low to the ground, and with a leg up from Professor Snape, Hermione got on her back. Hermione grabbed his hand, and helped pull him up. Then with a mighty pump of Rachael's wings, they were air born. Hermione had her eyes open with excitement. She hated flying, but it didn't seem bother her on the back of a dragon. She laughed into the night air, her arms straight out from her sides.

"Are you enjoying this?" Professor Snape asked in her ear. She shivered. Not from the cold air, but from his breath on her ear.

"Yes. It's amazing, actually." She said, looking back to him so he could hear her better. "Normally I hate flying. I hate broomsticks, and flying, the ground hundreds of feet below me. It scares me, but I'm loving this!" She said. Suddenly Rachael turned up, and she fell with a thud against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her instinctively. She felt safe in his arms, and oddly comfortable. She closed her eyes briefly, enjoying his warmth in the colder air, and breathing in his scent of potions brewing mixed with, oddly enough, mint.

He loved the way she fit in his arms so easily. He felt right to be holding her then and there. Too right in fact. But he didn't want to let go. He felt her relax in his hold, and sink against him, forming to his body. He breathed in her very faint scent of sweet pea. But it was hardly noticeable from all of the mud, and dirt, and sweat that was caked onto her. She had been through so much, like him. They had both been through such hardships. They were more alike than they had ever realized. He noticed a weight change in her, and looked down to see that she had fallen asleep. He sighed, and leaned his head on hers, his nose buried in her hair. He too fell asleep.


	4. Comfortable Silences and Kisses

Chapter Four

Comfortable Silences and Kisses

Hermione woke up to Rachael growling. She was going to land soon; the sun was coming up. Hermione realized that she had slept, leaning against Professor Snape, with his arms wrapped around her and she blushed. His head was resting against hers.

"Um…Professor Snape?" She asked.

"Hmm?" He answered, still groggy. He had woken up from her sudden weight change.

"Rachael is going to descend soon. The sun is coming up." She said. He lifted his head.

"Alright." He said, and released his grip around her. She sat up straight, and he stretched and yawned. Rachael began to get closer to the ground. Hermione was trying to remember what happened last night, and remembered. When she did, her ankle started to throb again. Rachael landed softly. Professor Snape slid off her back, and then reached up to help Hermione down. She shook her head, and slid off. With a gasp of breath, she collapsed to the ground, but before she could properly fall, Professor Snape caught her.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I broke my ankle last night when I fell." She gasped, her eyes screwed up in pain. Her right hand was down, just above her very swollen ankle, her leg bent back, up towards her. Professor Snape picked her up and carried her over to a piece of ground covered in springy grass. He laid her down softly.

"Hold still, and put your leg straight out." He instructed. She slowly did as he said. He pulled out his wand. Her eyes were barely open from the pain.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"I'm going to take away the swelling and then heal your ankle. Hold still. Shrinking it won't hurt, but fixing it will." He said, looking her in the eye. Rachael was watching from a distance. He flicked his wand at her ankle, and it immediately began to shrink. After it was its normal size, he looked at her.

"I'm about to begin to fix it. Try not to move it. It'll hurt more." He said. She nodded, grabbing handfuls of grass on either side of her, and screwed up her face in preparation for the pain. Professor Snape jabbed her ankle. It went back into place with such a sickening snap that it seemed to echo, along with Hermione's squeal of pain. It kept going even after her ankle was healed. There were tears leaking out of the corner or her eyes from her pain. She pulled her feet up to her butt, laying on her right hip, her hands still gripping the grass, pulling it out at the roots. She was breathing hard, and whimpering. Professor Snape watched as the young witch pulled herself into a ball from the pain, a few tears falling from her eyes, across her nose and into the hair at her temples, her hands digging into grass and dirt, pulling the grass up at the roots in pain. She never screamed like he had the first time the spell had been used on him. She hadn't moved her legs until her ankle had been completely healed. She didn't full out cry, but instead she was sucking up the pain, and controlling it, not letting it control her. He walked over to his pack and pulled out a shrunken bag. He enlarged it, and pulled a bowl and a clean towel out. He walked over to Hermione, and filled up the bowl with cool water, and dipped part of the towel into it, and dabbed it across her forehead. She slowly opened her eyes.

"That…Hurt." She gasped. He smiled.

"You handled it well." He said.

"I'm used to pain." She said sitting up, her hair falling to her right. How she said it told whoever heard it that she meant more than just physical pain. She rubbed her forehead right above her eyes, and then ran her hand down her face. She got to her knees.

"Take it slow." He said as she slowly got to her feet. He held his arms out, ready to catch her if she fell. She teetered a bit, but then caught her balance. She took a few steps, limping on her left foot a bit, her shoulders going up slightly, and her face screwed up with pain each time her weight went on her left foot, but soon all that showed of her newly healed broken ankle was that her lips were over her teeth as her teeth bit down. Finally she sat on a rock near where Professor Snape had set up a fire. She sat there, massaging her sore ankle and sighed.

"Beacon?" He asked. She smiled.

"Thank you." She said, taking a few strips of beacon from him. The beacon was salty, smoky, and a tad bit sweet all at the same time. It was delicious. They ate in a comfortable silence. Hermione then sat down at the base of the rock, and leaned back. Professor Snape had fallen asleep, and she was purposely making herself uncomfortable. She had to keep guard. After a bit, Professor Severus jerked awake. He sat up, and looked around. Hermione was up against the rock, looking around, and keeping watch. He got up. She looked half dead. She was tired. He took his tattered robes from his shoulders, revealing the black shirt and pants he was wearing, and folded them. He walked over. She didn't notice him. He put his hand on her shoulder. She gave a start, and looked up.

"You're awake." She said.

"So are you." He said, gently forcing her to lean forward, and slipping his robes behind her. She sighed. It felt good to have her sore back against something soft rather than the hard rock that had been digging into her skin.

"Thank you." She said, glancing at his muggle attire. "You look rather nice in muggle clothes, Professor." She said.

"Thanks. And I'm not 'Professor' anymore." He said, and sat beside her.

"What? Why?" Hermione asked.

"I've just decided that I don't want to teach. How old are you, Hermione?" He asked.

"Eighteen, why?" Hermione asked him.

"Then you should know what it's like then you decide you want to do something, and then later decide it's not for you." Hermione nodded. They sat like that for a while in a nice, comfortable silence. After awhile, Severus spoke.

"You should get some sleep. You look half dead." He said.

"I feel half dead." She muttered, and then let out a short laugh. He chuckled. She looked up at him, and eyebrow up. Suddenly, she noticed the sky. Her eyes widened. There were very dark clouds gathering above them.

"What is it?" He asked, looking up. "Another dragon?"

"No. Just a storm." She said.

"Oh. Okay. I suppose we should get to cover." He said.

"Unless you want to fly in the rain." She said. He looked at her.

"I'd rather not get a cold." He said, and stood up. He put out the fire, and gathered their stuff. They walked over to Rachael who woke up sensing the on coming storm.

"Rachael, we need to get to cover, alright?" Hermione asked. "A group of woods would be good, or a nice cave." She said. Rachael nodded. They got onto her back, and they took off. They got to a nice wooded area before it started to rain. Hermione stood next to a tree at the edge of the woods. Severus and Rachael were deeper in, setting up a camp to spend the rest of the day here. It was raining hard. Hermione walked back to the camp, and sat down, shaking slightly.

"Cold?" Severus asked, seeing her shaking. She nodded, covering up why she really was shaking. He walked over, and draped his robes around her shoulders. She felt the warmth, and she stopped shaking at once. She felt safe. She buried her face into his robes, and breathed in deeply. She loved his scent. It was rather…_homey_. He sat down about three feet away. Suddenly there was a crash of thunder that rattled her chest. Hermione screamed a bit, and cowered into the robes. Severus looked at her.

"Are you scared of thunderstorms?" He asked. She looked at him, her eyes wide.

"No. Just storms. I told you it was storming that night that Paul died." She said, and then yelped as another clap of thunder rumbled her ribs. He scooted over to her, and put an arm around her shoulders.

"It'll be alright, Hermione. We're safe." He said, his voice soft as she leaned against his chest. "You're safe." Another clap. She screamed, and he put his other arm around her, and hugged her close. After awhile she looked up to him, and they looked into each other's eyes. _What was happening to her? Was she falling for Severus? Why was he doing all of these things for her, and why did she suddenly care if he was alright while he slept?_ Her face was getting closer to his.

_Why am I doing this? Why do I care if Granger is alright? Why do I care if she's happy? Why am I suddenly changing? It rather scares me, yet I don't want to stop it…_ He face got closer to hers… Another clap of thunder, and Hermione jumped, causing her lips to crash into his. Hermione's and his eyes went wide. Hermione pulled back, and looked away. She was blushing furiously; then cringed as thunder clapped. Severus pulled her close, and she blushed harder, but didn't protest as lightening flashed over head followed within seconds by a clash of thunder. She fell into a troubled sleep, her body jerking every time there was a clap of thunder. Severus watched as the young witch's face contorted with fear as thunder clapped. She was sound asleep, but the thunder was penetrating her dreams…or her nightmares. He watched as she tossed and turned, her head in his lap. After awhile he too dozed off.


	5. At Grimauld Place with too Many Worri

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but what is mine. Rest is the wonderful imagination of J. K. Rowling.**

Chapter Five

At Grimauld Place with too Many Worries,

and Patience Running Short

Harry sighed as he walked down the stair leading to the kitchen. It had now been a week since Hermione had gone missing. He didn't like this at all. He walked into the kitchen to see Tonks, Kingsley, and Moody all there.

"What's up?" He asked.

"A dragon. The death eaters are using them now. Apparently one of them cornered a witch and a wizard about three days ago somewhere in the Ukraine. The witch apparently is what we call an elemental. She can control the elements." Kingsley said.

"As far as we can tell all parties got away safely. There are no apparation trails, so I'm willing to bet that the witch is underage, and dislikes sidelong apparation." Tonks said.

"But the Ukraine isn't your jurisdiction, is it? And wouldn't the department of control of magic beasts be the ones that handled it?" Harry asked.

"No, but we sometimes get called for second opinions. Especially when _this_/i is found." Moody growled, holding up a black lather strap that looked like it had been cut cleanly by magic. Harry held out his hand, and Moody set it init. Harry looked it over, and then his finger found the carving. His finger traced it, and he didn't take his eyes off of it.

"So you're thinking he'll have more? Not just this one then?" He asked.

"That's exactly what we're thinking. And that we hope that witch is on our side, because if she isn't, we're in for a lot of trouble. If Voldemort's got his hands on an elemental, it'd be suicide to go after him." Tonks said.

"Well then, I hope you're ready for death." Harry said, eyebrows raised, and handing the broken collar back to Moody. Everyone stared at him. "Because elemental or not, that son of a bitch if going to pay for what he's done to Hermione. Even if she is still alive, and even if she's fine, she's on the run, and her parents are dead, and she doesn't have a house to go to anymore. I think the bastard's done enough." Harry said, and walked out. Everyone stared after him. Then Ginny got up and followed him into the sitting room. She sat on the arm rest next to him.

"Harry. You must be careful. Voldemort can use that anger against you in a heart beat. You know that." She said, putting an arm around his shoulders, and one under his neck, and resting her head on his in a kind of hug. "Besides. With dragons and an elemental on his side…Harry, he could kill you in _less_ than a heartbeat." She said, pulling away from him and looking him in the eye, "I'm scared for you, Harry. With everything that's been going on, Hermione missing, Voldemort getting dragons and elementals, you're scaring me. It seems like all you think about is Hermione."

"She's like a sister to me, Gin. What am I suppose to do? Sit and forget? Act like nothing's happened?" He asked, standing up and throwing his hands in the air. "I can't! I'm worried about her, Gin!! And the fact that my patience is running short from people telling me to calm down and that everything's fine isn't helping!" Ginny sat there watching him blow up, and really let his emotions go for the first time in months. He went on ranting and raving about how he hated being 'the Chosen One', and how he hated the fact that he was the only one that could kill Voldemort, and that he was some sort of hero in other people's eyes. How he just wanted to be somewhat normal. He went on saying how his life sucks, and how the lives of those around him suck because of Voldemort, and that now he had Hermione, and she could be dead, she could die, or she could be near death right then. Ginny finally blew up.

"SHUT UP!!! YOU THINK YOU'RE ALL MISERABLE YOU, WHEN YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE SUFFERING!!! LOOK AT RON!!! HE LOVED HER, BUT DO YOU SEE HIM ACTING LIKE THE PIG!?!?! NO!!!!! SHE WAS MY SISTER, BUT DO YOU SEE ME MOPPING ABOUT!?!?! NO!!! SHE WAS LIKE A SECOND DAUGHTER TO MY MUM, BUT DO YOU SEE HER THREATENING TO GO FIND HER WITH EVERY OTHER FRICKIN' STEP!?!?! NNNOOOO!!!!" Ginny screamed. "YOUR LIFE ISN'T THE ONLY ONE THAT'S BEEN RUINED BY VOLDEMORT, HARRY!!!!!! GET YOUR HEAD AROUND THAT FACT!!!!" And with that she left the sitting room. Harry stared after her for a bit, and then sat down, letting her words sink in. She was right. He had been acting like a prick lately. _What's gotten into me? I'm acting like a spoiled rich kid._ He thought. _I'm acting like Dudley._ He sat there for a bit more, thinking, and then went up stairs. He knocked on Ginny's door. She opened it.

"What?" She snapped.

"I'm sorry."

"For?"

"For the way I've been acting lately. It's inexcusable. I've treated everyone around me awfully, and I know I'm not the only one that's been hurt by this." He said. Ginny threw her arms around his neck and hugged him.

"Thank you." She said. "And I forgive you." They then walked down to the kitchen. Everyone was still there.

"Everyone." Harry said. They all looked up at him. "I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. I've been a total prick, and I haven't deserved how much you all have put up with my attitude. I'm sorry, and I know everyone here has been hurt by Hermione's disappearance, and I'm going to work at making sure I don't get like this again." He said. Remus smiled. He couldn't have been prouder of his best friend's son than he was at that moment. There were several hugs and thumps on the back and telling him it was alright.

"We all know you're just so worried about Hermione, dear. We all are." Mrs. Weasley said, hugging him.


	6. Tears and Death Eaters and Balls of Fire

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but what is mine. Rest is the wonderful imagination of J. K. Rowling.**

Chapter Six

Tears and Death Eaters and Balls of Fire, OH MY!!!

Hermione woke up with her head in Severus's lap, his hand on her ear, as if he had been brushing her hair away from her face. Hermione gently slipped out from under his hand without waking him up. She walked to he edge of the forest, and stood there, leaning against a tree, looking around at the light grey sky, the muddy grounds, the dew on the grass, and the last traces of a rainbow. She loved how the world looked after the rain. Fresh, clean, bright, and in a way, new. But she hated the way it got that way. She sighed, and walked out into the field. She walked around.

Severus woke up, and found that Hermione was gone. He jumped up, and looked around. Her things were not gone, Rachael was still there, and there were no signs of anyone dissaparating or apparating. He panicked. He ran to the edge of the forest, looking madly around. He didn't see her. He ran back, and packed everything up. He then prodded Rachael awake.

"Hermione's missing. We must find her!" He said, climbing onto the sleepy dragon's back. The dragon, suddenly awake, got out of the forest, and skimmed low over the field. They flew, and then finally saw a figure walking a bit ahead of them. The figure spun, and then began to run. Rachael flew up beside her, and Severus jumped off. He could hear her breath come in gasps. He ran after her.

_Damn it Granger, how the hell did you get so bloody fast?_ He thought as he ran, his greasy hair flying behind him. He reached out, and his hand grazed her shoulder. She screamed and ran faster. Finally he managed to swing an arm around her waist. He stopped, making her stop also. She was screaming. She looked, and recognized him. Her screams turned into tears. He pulled her into him, and held her close. They stood like that for minutes on end. Finally she stopped crying, her breath now coming as deep racking breaths. He put his hands on her shoulders, and looked her in the eye.

"It's alright. You're safe." He said. She nodded, two fresh tears falling from her eyes. "What happened?" He asked.

"I-I don't know." She said, her voice soft and cracked. "I just woke up, and I went to the edge of the forest. I decided to go for a short walk, and I guess I got lost in my memories. Oh, it was so scary." She moaned.

"What happened?"

"I relived that day. We had been having so much fun at the beach, and then the storm, and having to break quickly, and the car spinning, the deafening crash as the tree fell, it was all my fault. I wanted to stay at the beach longer, even though we could see the clouds. Then I wanted to sit behind dad, and I wouldn't let Paul sit behind him." By now the tears had come back. He pulled her into him again.

"It's not your fault. You had no idea what would have happened." He said softly. She was crying into his chest. Suddenly she pushed away from him.

"IT IS!!! I WAS BEING A BRAT! IT'S ALL MY FAULT THAT PAUL'S DEAD!!!" She screamed, her hands flying about, and finally gripping her hair at the roots.

"That's not true. Listen, Hermione. You had no idea what was going to happen. You couldn't've stop it." He said.

"BUT I COULD HAVE PREVENTED IT!!!" She yelled. Suddenly there was a bunch of pops, and they jerked their heads back the way they had come from. There were several Death Eaters. Hermione stared wide eyed. There were at least twenty of them total. Severus looked along the line, then grabbed her hand.

"Come on!" He yelled as the Death eaters spotted them, and began to throw stunning spells at them. She ripped her arm from her his grasp, and faced the on coming death eaters. Her hands were clenched, out and down at her sides. She stayed still as a spell whizzed past her ear, causing her hair to fly back some. She glared at them. She brought her hands up about three inches, and then slung them back down, opening them as she did so. She channeled her anger through her body, down her arms, and through her palm to manifest in small orbs of fire over her palms. She glared at them. The Death Eaters balked. They saw the raw anger in her eyes, and the fire in her hands. They realized now what they were up against. Several of them took a step back, but Lucius Malfoy stepped forward from the line, and threw a stunning spell at her. She stood still, and it flew right at her chest.

"NO!!!" Severus yelled, watching it as if in slow motion. The stunning spell then splattered as if against an invisible wall. She threw her right hand at him from the side. The fire ball from it flew at Lucius, and he cast a shield spell, but the fire ball whizzed through it with ease. He lunged to the right, falling to the ground, just barely managing to dodge the ball in time. Meanwhile another fire ball had appeared in Hermione's right hand as she began to walk towards the death eaters. Severus, ran, and jumped onto Rachael's neck. He touched her neck, and tapped it. She took off, and flew quickly towards the death eaters, past Hermione, and she let out a nice jet of fire at them. Several managed to jump out of the way, but several were in the range of the fire. They caught fire, and went screaming away. They circled around for another assault, and Hermione was mercilessly throwing fire ball after fire ball at them. Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Black, Avery Nott, and Mcnair were the last to flee. They only did so when a very angry Norwegian redbreast and a young Elemental who's hands had balls of fire in them, and her eyes were pure hatred, decided to hurl fire at them at the same time. She pulled on every angry fiber she had. Every person she was pissed off at, the Malfoys, Voldemort, Bellatrix Black, all of the Death Eaters, Herself. She used that anger to fuel her fire. Every last bit of her anger was coming out, and if she would actually step back for a second and take a look at herself, she'd be rather frightened. But she wouldn't let herself. She clasped her hands together, and then threw her hands straight at them, the same time Rachael released a jet of fire at them. They had the dragon's straight jet of fire, and Hermione's fire twisting around the dragon's fire; a deadly jet of fire. Mcnair, Bellatrix, and Lucius managed to dissaparate in time, but Avery got full blast. After the fire died away all that was left was a charred, white skeleton. Hermione felt fait. She soaked the fire into her veins, giving her its strength. She stumbled her way to a stream she had passed earlier.

Severus slid off of the dragon's back, and ran after her. He reached out for her, but withdrew his hand from the scorching air around her.

"Hermione?" He asked.

"Back off, Professor." She snapped, her anger still not fully gone yet. He stared at her. He watched as she stumbled into the stream. She fell on her face, the cool water running over her. Severus ran up, and turned her over, her skin considerably cooler. He picked her up, and carried her over to a dry spot in the grass. He then used his wand, and kept a small, but consistent flow of water running over her, to help cool her down and keep her cool. He started a fire and began to cook some raw meat he had gotten in the last town they had visited. He set aside half for her, and ate his half. It wasn't until he was done eating that he noticed his stream of water to cool Hermione was gone. Instead there was water around her body, pulsing, just sitting there on her, not going into the ground or anything. Everything but her nose was covered. So she could breath. He realized. _She must be doing it._ He thought. _But she hasn't moved once…Wait._ His eyes popped as he realized something. _She's a natural elemental. Her powers are hers, and not textbook. It's her powers doing it. She's unconscious, but her powers are taking care of her. Damn. I pity the poor fool who gets on her bad side._ He shook his head and finished his breakfast. After awhile he dozed off, watching his young charge. He woke up around noon, and looked around. The food he had left for Hermione was gone. He looked around, not seeing Hermione. Then sighed as he saw her, not but two feet from him, sound asleep, dry, and curled up slightly. He ooched over to her, and touched her shoulder. She was back to a normal temperature now. She moaned softly, and rolled over, her hand landing softly on his chest. His breath caught, and reminded himself that she was asleep, and had no idea what she was doing. But his heart was still beating rather fast, and his breath was coming short. He wanted to get as far away from her as humanly possible, but he also wanted to be as close to her as humanly possible. It scared him. Instead of taking the risk of waking her, he just stayed put. Finally he fell into a restless sleep.


	7. Learning to do Yet

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but what is mine. Rest is the wonderful imagination of J. K. Rowling.**

_Chapter Seven_

_Learning to do Yet__  
_

Hermione woke up as the sun was setting and was shocked to see her hand on Severus's chest, along with her head. His arm was under her neck, and curving down to rest on her waist. Her breath caught. Her heart beat faster and her breath came shorter. Her eyes were wide, and she was so confused.

_What happened?_ She wondered. She remembered the fight…stumbling into the stream…waking up, cool, him asleep…eating the food that was obviously left out for her…curling up to sleep…nothing. Then, as if she were watching from five feet in the air, she watched as Severus woke up, looked around, saw her, touched her shoulder, her rolling over, him staying there, staring at her, then laying back, eyes wide open, and finally falling asleep…then watched as her sleeping formed ooched closer, placed her head on his shoulder, his arm going instinctively around her. She flashed back to the present. _It was all an accident..._ She breathed easier. She gently slipped herself out from under his arm, trying not to wake him. Little did she know that he had been awake for a good fifteen minuets already. She went down to the stream and splashed the cool water onto her face.

"Hermione?" She heard Severus ask groggily.

_Why does that happen to me? Every time he calls me Hermione, my heart leaps. I want to call him Severus…But no. This is wrong. I don't feel anything for him except gratitude for saving my life._

"Yes?" She asked, turning to look at him. She blushed. She couldn't help it. She had woken up on his chest.

"Are you alright? You look a bit flushed." He said. She blushed harder.

"I'm fine. It's probably just some after effect from using that much fire is all." She said. He got up, walked over to her, and knelt beside her. She blushed harder.

"You were great back there. Stupid, but great. And amazing. How long have you known that you were an elemental?" He asked. She blushed-if possible-even more at his compliments.

"Elemental…?" She wondered out loud. She remembered reading a book that mentioned them, but not reading about them.

"You don't know what you are?" He asked.

"Uh…a witch?" She asked. He chuckled, shaking his head.

"No. Well, yes, but that's besides the point!!!" He said. She giggled a bit at his flustering. He stared at her. Her giggle was soo…cute. "You're an elemental. You have the ability to control the elements." He said.

"Oh. Yeah. I mean, my lemonade had gotten hot a few weeks ago, and when I touched the glass, it became cool again." She said, shrugging and then splashing more water onto her face. Her blush died some.

"You knew? You knew and you didn't read up on it?" He asked, shocked.

"Well, no. But that's because I thought it was just a freak occurrence. You know, like when your magic escapes you when you're angry or scared." She said.

"Were you angry or scared?" He asked.

"Well I was a little bit…_annoyed_ that it had gotten warm." She said. He looked at her.

"But not angry?"

"Well, no." She said.

"Granger, you have got a _lot_ of learning to do." He said.

"What kind of learning?" She asked, weary.

"Learning to control this ability of yours." He said.

"Well, I seem to be doing a pretty good job of it right now, aren't I?" She asked, standing up.

"No. You passed out for about five hours with a hundred and five degree fever after you used your ability last time." He said. "If you don't start learning to control your power, it can, and will, kill you." He said. She stared at him. He wasn't kidding. She could already feel the raw power eating at her, begging her to use it again. She considered.

"How do I train?" She asked.

"First you must learn to meditate." He said.

"Easy. I already know that. What's next?" She asked. He stared at her. "Fine. I'll prove it." She said. She sat back down on her butt, and crossed her legs, setting the backs of her hand gently down onto her knees. She closed her eyes. She breathed in for the count of seven, and held, for the count of seven, breathed out for the count of seven, and held for the count of seven. She repeated it. In, hold, out, hold, in, hold, out, hold. Over and Over, letting her mind slip into that peaceful light that was her spirit. She stayed like that, just relaxing. She felt her powers calm, and start to leave her alone. She didn't hear or realize that the whole time the sun was sinking lower, and that Severus had broken down camp. Finally Severus came back, and sat down next to her. They had to move. He gently put his hand on her shoulder. Her eyes opened, and looked over at him.

"You know how to meditate. Very good. Now, before we can begin the next step of your learning, we must fly." He said. She nodded, and got up, taking her bag, and getting on Rachael's back.

*** * ***

**HP**

*** * ***

"Harry, stay focused!!! You can only stay at headquarters if you learn!!!" Tonks said, hitting him smartly over the head with her battling staff. He rubbed his head and looked at her.

"Sorry, Professor." He said. She smiled.

"Now. Face your partners." She said. Ginny turned back to Ron, and Harry turned back to Tonks. "Remember. Ginny strike. Ron block. Harry strike. I'll block. Middle strikes only. I don't care how angry your partner has you." She said. Ginny, Ron, Harry, and Tonks all took their stances, Harry and Ginny spun on their left heels, swinging their staffs. Ron and Tonks brought their staffs down to their right, blocking the strike. Harry and Ginny spun the staffs above their head, and Ron and Tonks blocked the blow to their left. They continued their 'class' until noon, moving as if in a dance. Finally they stopped for lunch.

"Very good. In a while, I'll be able to start you on upper strikes and blocks." She said, taking a random blow to Harry. He spun on his heel, and blocked it seamlessly.

"Good. I might be able to start you on the new set sooner than I thought." She smiled, and walked out.

"Geez, she's mental. What will staffs do against You-Know-Who?" Ron asked, staring at the cedar staff he held in his hand.

"I don't think it's so much the staffs as it is the skills at striking and blocking." Harry said. Ron looked at him, but Harry didn't notice. He was too busy looking at the mahogany staff in his hands. They ate lunch, and had free time until dinner. Ron and Ginny went to play a game of exploding snap. Harry, however disappeared. When Tonks went to go get her cloak from the room they had been training in, she saw Harry, his staff in hand, practicing the strikes and blocks. She watched him. His eyes were open and blazing. He didn't even notice her. It was like he was meditating. She smiled.

_Good. I hoped one of them would catch onto that. This is how_ I _meditate._ She thought. She walked into the room and grabbed her staff. She moved stealthily and quietly. She came up behind him, and dealt an upper strike to his back. He spun, blocked it, and managed to tap her lightly on the side. She stared at him. _He moves_ fast. She thought.

"Very good. Come. I will teach you a new set." She said. He nodded. They stayed in that room, and didn't come out for dinner.

"Tonks." Remus finally said from the doorway. He had been there for forty minutes. Harry and Tonks had both sensed him, but hadn't said a thing. They were both sweaty, and were breathing slightly harder than when they started. They had made it through three different sets. Tonks smiled at Harry.

"You're doing well, Harry. Keep up the good work."

"You missed dinner." Remus said.

"We know." Harry said.

"Come. Have a cup of tea with the rest of us." He said. They nodded, set their staffs down, and went down into the kitchen.

"There you two are. What have you been doing?" Mrs. Weasley asked, noticing how sweaty they were.

"Training." Harry said as he sat down next to Ginny.

"All day?" Mrs. Weasley asked shocked.

"Yes. I had gone to the make-shift classroom to get my cloak after lunch and he was there practicing. We both started to train, and didn't stop until Remus came in." Tonks said.

"Good to know someone's serious about training to defeat Voldemort." Remus said.

"Come on!!! Honestly! How are measly little staffs going to defeat Voldemort?" Ron asked.

"It's not the staffs! It's the ability to keep your mind cool and collective as you move. Like meditating only moving." Harry and Tonks said at the same time. Ron stared at them. Tonks smiled at Harry.

"You need to be able to view your movements objectively as you move and fight. You can't just be in the moment, striking at anyone who comes near you. You must be detached, calm, and peaceful. You need to learn that now because it will be a thousand times harder in the presence of Voldemort." Harry said.

"Damn. When did he become the expert?" Ron muttered. Ginny giggled.

*** * ***

**HG**

*** * ***

"You need to be able to view your movements objectively as you move and fight. You can't just be in the moment, striking at anyone who comes near you. You must be detached, calm, and peaceful. You need to learn that now because it will be a thousand times harder in the presence of the Dark Lord." Severus instructed Hermione around noon that day. She was standing there, doing a type of tie-chi with a staff, moving it around her body, away from her, in towards her, and moving her legs, arms, hands, chest, hips, and back as one. She was breathing as she did for meditation. After awhile, he got a staff, and came up. Her eyes were closed, focusing on spreading her magic evenly through her body, trying to keep any bit of it from escaping her skin. Severus jerked his staff to tap the back of her knee. She spun, and blocked it, and continued with her tie-chi. He kept walking his staff up and down her body, and she blocked them. Finally they stopped, and ate. Then they fell asleep on either side of the fire pit. When Hermione woke up, it was to a pitch black, and freezing cold. She jerked up. Her chest was freezing, and she couldn't see a thing.

"Professor Snape?" She asked. She heard a rattling nearby. She closed her mouth tightly. She pulled her wand from her waist, and cast the lumos spell, and nearly screamed. A dementor was bending over Severus's body, ready to perform the kiss.

"_EXPECTO_ _PATRONIUM!!!!_" She screamed, and a tiger burst from her wand. She stared. _Hadn't her Patronus been an otter?_ It got rid of the dementor that was attacking Severus, just as another grabbed Hermione. She clamped her mouth shut, concentrating on her happy thought. Her tiger came, and ran, paws forward, and claws out. The dementor fell back, and it and the tiger rolled over a few times, and then the dementor flew off, but Hermione wasn't paying attention, she had crawled over to Severus, and was kneeling over him, trying to wake him up.

"Professor, please. Wake up, Professor. PLEASE!" She said, tears starting to fall down her cheeks. She didn't even notice that her tiger was gone, and the pitch black and coldness remained. "…" She moaned, now sobbing. "Severus…" Her head was now on his chest. He began to stir, but she didn't realize. She looked up, and lowered her face to his, and breathed into his ear.

"Please wake up, Severus…" Then she passed out.

*** * ***

**SS**

*** * ***

Through his nightmares, and worst memories, Severus heard her, but couldn't wake up. "Professor, please. Wake up, Professor. PLEASE!" He felt her tears fall onto his chest. He wanted to go to her, but he couldn't move. "Professor…" He heard the despair in her voice, the worry.

_Is she worried for_ me? He wondered. "Severus…" He felt her head on his chest. He needed to get to her now. He heard not only the despair and the worry in her voice, but the pain. A pain that he felt not to long ago when he was her age. The pain of losing someone you cared about. He managed to twitch his left hand. "Please wake up, Severus…" She whispered in his ear. His heart wretched. He _had_ to get to her. He opened his eyes, and looked around. It was pitch black, and freezing, but he felt her beside him. She had passed out. He reached for his wand, but it wasn't there. He grabbed her hand, felt her wand, and took it. He got to his knees, and then his feet. He concentrated on her voice just moments ago, and how she felt when she leaned against him. He thought of the kiss, and her voice rang in his head as the memory replayed: "Severus… Severus… Please wake up, Severus… Severus…"

"_EXPECTO PATRONIUM!!!_" An over large Raven burst from his wand, and shot at the dementors. It was a solid figure, pure silver, giving off unwavering light. He stared. _A Raven? A _Raven_? _It flew through the dementors one by one, and they all left, but the raven stayed. It lighted onto his shoulder, and he bent down over Hermione. He put his arm under her shoulders, and brought her up so that she was pressed against his chest. A tear slipped from under his eyes as he held her. He looked down, and looked at her calm, peaceful face. He leaned down, his Raven still solid on his shoulder, and he gently pressed his lips to hers. Then he picked her up, moved up against the trunk of a tree, her in his lap, and fell asleep, dreaming of her.

*** * ***

**HG**

*** * ***

Hermione woke on something soft, and the smell was familiar. She slowly opened her bleary eyes, and gasped as she saw a silvery raven sitting on her lap, its head under its wing, asleep. She realized then that it was a patronus. She looked up at Severus, and realized she was sitting in his lap. She smiled when she realized that he was asleep, not unconscious. She reached her hand up and gently touched the side of his face. His eyes flickered open. He looked at her, and smiled. She smiled back. Slowly she leaned in, her eyes half closed, looking at his lips. He was looking at hers, and leaned forward. Finally their lips met. It was like an explosion in her heart. It was like electricity running through her body from his lips. After awhile his tongue ran across her lower lip. She parted her lips and granted his tongue's request for entrance. It slipped in, and quickly began to map out her mouth, trailing over her teeth, the roof of her mouth, playing with her own tongue. Her hands went around his neck, and his went around her waist. The raven woke and took flight as she shifted so that her legs were on either side of his. His hands, on her hips went higher, slightly dragging her shirt with them. Her hands slid from around his neck, and down his chest. She could feel his heart beating just as fast as hers. There was a tingling in her abdominal section, and her mind began to fuzz. His hands managed to slip under her shirt, as his swollen lips moved from hers, and moved down her jaw line, and down her neck. She moaned from the pleasure of the feel of his lips and his hands on her body. She moved slightly and gasped as she felt his arousal against her. The tingling in her abdomen got stronger. His arousal got bigger at her gasp. She grabbed either side of his face, and forced him to met her lips again. His hands found her breasts and began to massage them.

_BOOM!!!_ They jumped apart as if a 1,000 volt current had just run between them.

_BOOM!!!_ They looked around, and then at each other. It was the death eaters. They could hear their laughter from here. Hermione looked up, it wasn't dark out, but… She jumped up.

"Pack everything up! I have a plan!" She said, running to the edge of the forest. Severus did as told and when he came out with Rachael right behind him, he saw Hermione, five feet off the air, her head back, her hair spread out from her head, her body looking limp, her arms semi-straight out beside her. Severus looked up, hearing distant thunder. He saw dark clouds coming. She was calling a storm for them to fly away in the cover of. Finally the storm was upon them, and it was about to start raining. She began to fall slowly, gracefully. He rushed forward, and caught her as she fell. He ran to Rachael, who practically laid down for him to get on easier. He sat on the dragons' neck, Hermione safely cuddled in his arms. Rachael took off. Hermione was unconscious. It had taken a lot of effort to bring that storm. They flew for an hour or so before landing. Severus slid off of Rachael's back onto the hard rock floor of the cave. He walked over to a corner like spot, and sat down, Hermione still in his lap. He thought he was beginning to get an idea of what love was. He knew it was too soon for it to be definite just yet, but he felt it. It was like nothing he had ever felt before. He was happy when he saw her. Ecstatic when he touched her. He reveled in the sweetness of her lips. He had a feeling that _this_ is what love felt like. He had grown to know her over the years as the insufferable-know-it-all, but he was wrong. She was just a girl hoping to please her parents; like he had been. He fell asleep, his head in her hair.

*** * ***

**A/N:** HEY! Incase ya'll haven't checked out my profile, I have a poll there for this story, and also one for my other story, **_Their Love_**. Go check it out if you want to have a say in my stories!

Love to you all, and loads to those who review!

Remember, I don't like ghost readers!

~NekaMo


	8. Broken Ribs and Explanations

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but what is mine. Rest is the wonderful imagination of J. K. Rowling.**

Chapter Eight

Broken Ribs and Explanations

Hermione sighed as she looked over the very last of the hills they had to cross before being in London. It had been about three weeks since that day in the woods, and she and Severus had stayed close, but they had never gone anywhere near as far as they had then. Hermione sighed as she turned to Rachael. They had to say good bye now, but Rachael had told them that if they ever needed her, just call her name, and she'd come.

"I'll miss you, Rachael," she muttered, and pet the dragon's nose. She sighed, and Rachael nudged her shoulder. Severus came up behind her.

"Ready?" he asked. She turned to him, and smiled.

"Totally," she said, and leaned her head against his chest, and his arm was around her shoulders. They turned and watched as Rachael flew off, and watched until she was too small to see. They then turned, and began their trek over the last few hills between them and civilization. Suddenly there were several pops around them. Hermione screamed as a jet of blue light hit her in the back. Severus grabbed her as she began to fall.

"No! Let me!" she said. He let go of her. Suddenly she burst into flame and flew into the air. The death eaters began to balk. She shot tendrils of fire from her finger tips and ten death eaters burst into flame. They screamed. Several death eaters Disapparated, but there were a few that stayed and fought. They sent spells at her and Severus. The ones that flew at her, splattered against her personal shield. The ones that shot at Severus, she sent tendrils at them, and the fire walked down the streams, destroyed them, and touched and burned the death eater that cast the spell. After awhile all that was left was Bellatrix and Lucius. Hermione looked down at them.

"One of these days, Mudblood, you will die," Lucius spat. Bella cackled. Hermione flew at them. The fire surrounding her body blazed. They Disapparated, and she somewhat crashed to the ground. Her right ankle snapped loudly. She let out a moan of pain. Severus came running to her.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"No. My angle's broken, it snapped. Two of my ribs are broken too," she added, gasping as he touched her side.

"Come on," Severus said, grabbing her right arm, opposite from her broken ribs, and pulled it over his shoulders, his other hand on her hip to avoid touching her broken ribs. "We'll Apparate. It's too far for you to walk like this," he said. She nodded. With a _POP!_ they were squeezed through a tube, Hermione biting back her scream as it pressed on her broken ribs and ankle. They appeared in front of eleven and thirteen Grimmauld place. Suddenly number twelve appeared. They walked into the door, and heard several people call.

"Who's there?"

"Is anyone expecting anybody?!" Hermione gasped. That last voice was Molly Weasley. Severus had walked in first, sideling along, helping Hermione behind him. Suddenly several people appeared on the different lands of the house, and from the kitchen.

"What are you doing here?" Harry spat from the second landing, only seeing Severus.

"Yes. You should've known that you're not welcome here." Remus spat from the kitchen.

"YOU HURT HIM, YOU DIE!" Hermione yelled for everyone to hear as Severus turned with her so that everyone could see her. They all gasped.

"HERMIONE!" Harry yelled. She gasped.

"Shut up," she moaned slightly.

"Come on," Severus said, and pulled her into the sitting room. Everyone came down from upstairs, and into the sitting room. Severus had laid her down on the couch.

"Hold still," he said, and pulled out his wand. She nodded, and gripped the back of the couch with her right hand, and his shoulder with her left, preparing for the pain. He jabbed at her ribs, and they snapped back into place with a sickening snap. This was about the fifth time he'd ever done this to her. She seemed to always be the one getting hurt. _Go figure. Damsel in distress my arse._ She thought as she brought her legs to her chest, holding in her scream. Finally the pain stopped, and she let out a little moan, and was gasping somewhat for breath. Severus grabbed her ankles lightly and straightened them out. Everyone was watching in shock. He flicked his wand at her ankle, and the swelling disappeared. He jabbed it, and with another sickening snap, it popped back into place, but it was so much louder this time. Hermione couldn't hold back her yell of pain. It was so loud, that it drowned out Mrs. Black's screams so well that until she stopped, no one realized that she was awake. Fred and George ran to take care of it. Hermione was in a ball on the couch, and Severus had wiggled his hand under her right hand, and she was squeezing it hard. Finally, her eyes closed, her grip relaxed, and her breathing became slower. She opened her eyes slowly, and slid her feet to the floor.

"Take it easy," Severus said lowly, almost a whisper.

"Bite me," she whispered. He chuckled. She stood up, and gasped audibly. She took a few steps, and then fell. He caught her.

"I thought I told you to take it easy," he said, and sat her back on the couch.

"Since when have I taken anything easy?" she asked.

"Well I do believe until about a month and a week ago," he said, smirking. She chuckled and bit, shaking her head.

"Touché," she said. He smiled.

"I think I'm going to go take a shower," she said, and stood up. Severus threw his arms out to catch her if she fell.

"Merlin, I'm not a toddler. I can walk, you know," she said, waving his arms away.

"Yeah, but can you walk with out falling?" he asked.

"You know, that was so funny, I forgot to laugh," she said dryly. She turned to everyone else and smiled. "I'd hug you, but I haven't showered in over a month." Molly smiled.

"I don't care," she said.

"But I do. Give me half an hour, and you all can have as many hugs as you like," Hermione said, smiling. Molly nodded. Hermione walked out, but turned at the door, and looked at Severus.

"Behave. I don't want to come down and have to kick someone's arse. Got it?" she asked.

"As if I'd do anything to piss _you_ off," he said.

"I'm not so sure about that…" she trailed off, and walked out. Everyone turned to look at Severus.

"So-"

"Oh, and anyone who attacks Severus, in any way, shape, or form, I will personally hurt you. _Badly_," she said, and walked out. After a few moments, finally someone, Remus, spoke.

"Why?" he asked.

"Why what, Lupin?" Severus replied wearily.

"Why have you been traveling with her?"

"I'm the one that saved her," Severus said. There was a stone thick silence. Every one was in shock.

"So by save you mean…"

"That I'm the reason she's alive," he said, sitting down on the couch as if he was completely at home. Everyone stared in shock.

"Well…" Molly began uneasily, "I guess two more for tea." and bustled out of the room. Everyone stood there, not saying anything. Finally Molly came back in, two tea trays floating in front and behind her. They floated in front of everyone, and the second one lightly landed on the table in front of Severus, two tea cups sitting on it. He turned one of the upside down cups, and poured some of the tea into the cup. He added two spoonfuls of sugar, and sat back, it in his hands. He took one sip, and looked at everyone from over the rim.

"Well?" he asked. They just stared. "I'm not stupid. I know you all must have at least a dozen questions to ask," he said.

"And they'll have to wait until after I have my tea," Hermione said, walking back into the room, a light lavender robe around her petite body, and a light lavender towel wrapped around her head. Severus poured her a glass, and added three spoonfuls of sugar, a spoonful of honey, and pulled a clear glass vile from inside his robes. He set it beside her tea cup as she sat down beside him. She took the vile, and uncorked it.

"Hermione, what are you doing? Have you ever thought that that could be Poison?" Harry asked. She looked up at him, not turning up her head from the angle it was pointed down at the table. She poured it into her cup of tea, not looking away from Harry. She set the empty vile down, picked up her spoon, still not looking away from Harry, and stirred her tea. She then set the spoon down, and lifted her cup to her lips. Harry just watched her as she watched him. She drunk the tea in three sips, and then set her cup down. She then stood up, and walked towards Harry. She hugged him.

"I trust Severus with my life, Harry. You need to accept that," she whispered in his ear. She left him mystified, and hugged Ron, and then Ginny, and then got squeezed nearly to death by Molly. She then turned, and Fred and George walked up to her, smiling.

"No funny business you two. Just a hug," she warned, looking skeptical, and accusing at the same time. Her finger was up and pointing at them both.

"Of course!" they said hands up. She half smiled, and shook her head, knowing that they'd do something. She hugged them both, and then screamed out in myrrh as they picked her up, and set her on their shoulders and spun. They stopped. She looked at Charlie from top of their shoulders. She hadn't realized he was there. She smiled, and waved him over. He came over. She put her hands on his shoulders, and slid from the twins'. He put his hands on her waist to stabilize her as she slid to the ground, and then hugged her. She pulled back and hugged Arthur, Moody, Kingsley, and Tonks. She finally turned to look at Remus. She was rather shocked to see his eyes shining with tears. She smiled, and walked up to him. She hugged him closely. He hugged her back, and from the warm wetness on her shoulder, she could tell his tears were escaping his eyes. She smiled, and hugged him closer, and then pulled back.

"Miss me much?" she asked. He smiled.

"Not really."

"Didn't think so," she said, and then suddenly her hand flew to her forehead as she swayed a bit. Remus caught her arm.

"Are you alright?" he asked worried.

"Yeah. I just need to sit down for a bit," she said. Remus helped her back to the couch next to Severus.

"I told you not to drink that potion! He's poisoned you!" Harry said. She glared at him.

"God, you can get annoying," she muttered. "I told you Harry, I trust Severus with my life. He wouldn't poison me."

"_Severus?!_" he said, shocked. "_SEVERUS?!_"

"YES, HARRY! SEVERUS!" she said.

"Since when have you called him Severus?!" he demanded. She stood up, getting angry now.

"SINCE HE SAVED MY LIFE! IF IT WASN'T FOR SEVERUS, I'D BE DEAD! WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND THAT FACT, HARRY!" she yelled. Everyone was watching her. "IF IT'S WASN'T FOR HIM, YOU'D'VE NEVER SEEN ME AGAIN! YOU'D'VE FOUND MY _SKELETON_ INSTEAD OF ME!" Suddenly she dropped back, and Severus caught her fully in his arms, bridal style. He stood, turned around, and laid her on the couch.

"I've told you before. Never overexert yourself after taking that potion. This would fall under the heading of overexertion," he said. She chuckled.

"Again, when have I ever taken anything easy?" she asked. He chuckled.

"You know the potion makes you dizzy and tired. My suggestion to you is to sleep," he said.

"Why? It's only 11:03. I'm not the least bit tired," she said. He shook his head.

"God, you're stubborn, Granger," he said, and stood up.

"Damn straight," she said, snuggling into the couch. He shook his head. Suddenly his eyes went wide. "What is it?" she asked, and then looked down to where he was staring; her ankle was exuding a yellow puss.

"Eww. What is that?" she asked, reaching down and dipping two fingers into it. It was thick and kind of creamy. A string connected the bit on her fingers to the bunch on her ankle. She smelled it, and her face scrunched up.

"God that reeks," she said. She smelled it again, and her face scrunched up again, and her head went back as her fingers went further away from her nose. She then brought it close, and gently touched it with her tongue. Her face scrunched up form disgust. "What is it?" she asked. Severus grabbed her hand, and brought her fingers to his nose to smell the puss.

"Oh shit," he muttered he looked at Remus. "Do you have a potion lab?" he asked. "Some sterile place I can use?"

"Severus-"

"Hush, Granger. Is there?"

"Severus-" she sat up.

"I need to make you a potion, Granger-"

"SEVERUS! Third floor, second door on your right. God. Did you honestly think that I had gotten that good at potions without studying over the summer?" she asked, and laid back on the couch. He stared at her, and then left.

"Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Yes Ron?" she asked, not opening her eyes.

"What happened?"

"Well, let's see. Severus came to my house one day, about 37 days ago or something around there, and warned me that death eaters were going to be attacking my house. He gave me a pocket watch portkey, but I dropped it in the small fight that ensued, and he picked it up, and got us out of there with great risk to himself," she said, turning onto her left side to face them. "Then we started walking, I think we were somewhere in Russia, just out side of the Ukraine. We began walking and stopped only in wooded areas or caves. Every so often some Death Eaters would find us, and we'd either run or fight. Every time they did manage to find us, Severus made sure I didn't get hurt. It was rather annoying, not being allowed to fight full out. Then about after a week of traveling we met a dragon, Rachael. She was a Norwegian Redbreast." Charlie whistled.

"How did you survive?" he asked stunned.

"By her keen intelligence," Severus said from the doorway. He walked in with a vile full of some yellow liquid.

"You're supposed to make it stop, not add more," Hermione said. She knew what potion it was though. She had made one not but a week before he came to her house.

"Very funny," he said dryly as he put a towel under her ankle and proceeded to wash her ankle in the liquid, the puss coming off with it.

"So how did you defeat the dragon?" Ginny asked.

"With ice and ice water. How else? Anyway, we found a collar around her neck, and got rid of it. She then flew us by night closer to London."

"You flew on a dragon?" Charlie asked.

"Several times, why?"

"And it just let you?"

"_She_ and yes, she did. In fact _she's_ the one that suggested it."

"Suggested it? She could talk?"

"In her own fashion. You know, growls, roars, stuff like that."

"And you understood her?"

"Yeah. Why? Shouldn't I have?"

"So you're saying you can understand what a dragon is saying? Are you sure you don't want a job in Romania like me?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Because being able to talk to dragons would be a great asset!"

"Suuuuuurrrrreeeeee…Anyway," Hermione said.

"Wait. When you said 'collar' do you mean this?" Moody asked, holding up a leather strap. Hermione and Severus looked up. Hermione's eyes widened.

"How did you find that!?!" she asked. She made to stand up, but Severus laid his hand on her legs, keeping her from getting up.

"You should've been more careful. This could've been used to track you down!" he growled. "Our people found it where you obviously met the Dragon. I take it you're the elemental? An Elemental took down the Dragon. It was obvious from the amount of magic traces left behind," he said. Hermione and Severus looked at each other. Then Hermione burst out laughing. She was laughing so hard, she could barely breathe. She collapsed back onto the couch. Severus shook his head at her and started to chuckle himself.

"What's so funny?" Moody demanded.

"The potion I'm using on her ankle is the only potion to get rid of this kind of puss, but there is a side effect to it," Severus said. "It causes a severe case of laughter." Everyone looked from him to Hermione who was laughing so hard tears were in her eyes and streaming down her face.


	9. Meetings and Hearts

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but what is mine. Rest is the wonderful imagination of J. K. Rowling.**

Chapter Nine

Meetings and Hearts

The next evening there was an order meeting. There Hermione and Severus gave a full account of what had happened in the month and a week they had been missing – leaving out the personal aspects of it all. After wards, Hermione had to leave the meeting, and wait with Harry, Ron, and Ginny in the hall out side of the parlor room. Harry was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed, and his right foot on the wall. Ron was sitting on the third set, his elbows on his knees, his hands lightly clasped, his arms limp. Ginny was sitting a few steps above him, her elbows on her knee, her left arm limp, her right hand holding her chin. Hermione sat on the floor next to the bottom stair. They had no idea what was going on in the meeting because the room had been silenced. Finally the door opened, and Severus and Remus came out. They stood there, the door still open behind them; the meeting was over. Harry, Ron, and Ginny walked into the buzzing parlor. Hermione jumped to her feet, searching Severus' eyes.

"What happened?" She finally asked.

"Well, you're to continue with your training." He said.

"Obviously. I'm just really glad I have a good teacher." She said, smiling at him.

"Actually, Hermione," Remus said. "Severus won't be your teacher." He said.

"What!?!" Hermione said. "Then you'll be my teacher?" She asked. He shook his head. "Who? Tonks? Moody? Kingsly?"

"No one from the order, Hermione." Remus said.

"What? Well then how will I be able to stay here?" She asked, really confused.

"You won't." Severus said. She looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

"Someone from the ministry sent a letter yesterday as we slept. Kingsly and Tonks are to take you to the ministry tonight. From there you will be taken to Windermere, where your teacher lives." He said.

"But that's hundreds of miles away!" Hermione said.

"He's the nearest elemental, Hermione." Remus said.

"NO! Surely you aren't going to let this happen, Severus!" She said.

"I can't stop it, Hermione." He said.

"You're just going to stand by, and let them take me away?" She demanded. He looked at her, his eyes sad, and then walked to the front door. "SEVERUS!" She called. He ignored her, and walked out the door. She looked at Remus. "How can _you_ let this happen!?!" She demanded.

"There's nothing we can do. The ministry has pointed out that Severus, being a wizard and not an elemental, doesn't have the proper knowledge to train you." He said.

"I DON'T CARE!" She screamed, tears flowing down her cheeks. Everyone in the parlor stopped talking and looked at her. "I'VE SPENT A MONTH AND A WEEK ON THE RUN! I WATCHED MY PARENTS MURDERED BEFORE MY EYES!!! I JUST GET BACK, AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO LET THE MINISTRY WISK ME AWAY FROM MY ONLY FAMILY!?!"

"Hermione, we're not your family." Remus muttered.

"YOU'RE AS GOOD AS, REMUS!!!" She cried. "YOU CAN'T LET THEM JUST WALTZ IN AND SEND ME AWAY TO SOME UNKNOWN PLACE, TO SOME UNKNOWN MAN! YOU CAN'T LET THEM TAKE ME AWAY FROM THE ONLY FAMILY I HAVE LEFT!!! WON'T YOU DO SOMETHING!?!" Remus looked at her. Tears were glistening in his eyes. He sadly shook his head, and walked into the kitchen. She looked after him, feeling betrayed. She looked at the people in the room. Mrs. Weasley had tears on her face, so did Ginny. Tonks had tears in her eyes as she passed Hermione and went into the kitchen after Remus. Everyone else was solemn and sad, looking at her with pity. She looked at them and felt even more betrayed.

"You're all just going to stand there? Not do anything? Watch as I'm whisked away?" She asked. No one said anything. "You told me you were so upset when I was missing. You wanted to do something. Here I am. I'm about to go missing again. Won't you do anything!?!" Still they said nothing. She looked at them with betrayal and anger. "Some family I have." She said, and walked up the stairs to her room. She closed the door quietly, and leaned against it. The sobs came quickly, and she sank to the floor, sobbing. After a few minutes she was able to crawl to the bed, and pull herself on to it. She collapsed onto it, and sobbed into the comforter until sleep over came her.

*** * ***

Hermione woke up to someone knocking on the door.

"Hermione? May I come in?" Hermione stood up and rubbed her crusted eyes. It was Severus.

"Yes, Severus." She said, turning around on the bed to face the door as it opened. It opened slowly, and Severus poked his head in just a little ways. She smiled at him. He then opened it more and walked in. He closed the door.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I truly am. If there was something I could do so you could stay here, I would." He said. She smiled at him, and patted the bed next to her. He sat down.

"I know. I was just upset. I let my top fly off, and I shouldn't've." She said. He smiled at her. "I'm sorry." She said.

"No fair. I apologized first." He said. She stuck her tongue out at him. He smiled and kissed her. She kissed him back, her left hand snaking it's way to the back of his neck. He deepened it, and she let him. Hermione kissed him with all the passion and love she possessed. She leaned into him, her right hand running over his chest. His right hand was tangled in her curls, his left hand on her back, holding her to him. They wouldn't've pulled apart for the world. . .except that someone knocked on the door just then. They slowly and sadly pulled apart.

"Who is it?" Hermione asked, as soon as she had gotten enough of her breath back.

"It's Ron." He said. "Mom told me to tell you dinner's ready, and that afterwards, you'll be leaving with Tonks and Kingsly." Hermione cursed under her breath.

"Thank you, Ronald. Please tell her that I'm not hungry, but instead I'll be packing." Hermione said.

"Alright, Hermione." He said. They listened to him walk away. Hermione looked at Severus.

"So this is it?" He asked her. She smiled sadly and kissed his lips.

"I'm afraid so." She said as she pulled back.

"Then I want you to have this." He said, and held out a small box. She looked at him as she took it. She opened it. It was a silver locket. She gasped. The front had roses and leaves engraved lightly on it.

"Severus, it's gorgeous." She said. He smiled.

"Open it." He said. She did. In side was a picture of Severus, and an engraving. She read it.

_My heart now travels with you wherever you go, my sweet. Take good care of it. _She felt tears come to her eyes. She kissed him for a long moment.

"Thank you, Severus." She said. He smiled at her.

"I'm glad you like it, because I don't think I'll be able to take it back." He said. She smiled. He stood up. "I'll let you pack." He said and kissed her forehead. He then left. She stared after him.

_I don't want to lose you, Severus. Not after having you for so little a time. I want to spend forever and past with you. I don't know where this intense feeling of love for you came from, but I know it's true. I don't want to be separated from you. I'll die. I can feel it. Just the thought of being away from you for any period of time rips at my heart. The thought of being thousands of miles away for months, possibly years makes my heart weep with sadness, makes it tare at the edges. Please, Severus. If I must go, please come with me. I won't say anything to you, but I want you to know that if you stay here while I leave, My heart will die. I will be forever hurt. I will miss you terribly and then some. You have my Heart, Severus. You have it like no one else ever has or ever will._


	10. Leaving Family Behind and Gaining

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but what is mine. Rest is the wonderful imagination of J. K. Rowling.**

_**  
Chapter Ten**_

_**Leaving Family Behind and Gaining a New, 'Better' Family**_

Hermione sighed as she walked down the stairs, her trunk levitating in front of her. It landed softly in front of the door. Everyone stood there. Some were crying, like Mrs. Weasley. Others were looking at her sadly and solemn face like Harry and Ginny. Others still were trying to smile encouragingly at her like Remus and Arthur. Severus, standing on the second floor, and leaning over the railing was staring at her with such love and passion it made her feel as though nothing could weigh her down – except the fact that he was staying behind. She tried not to think abut that. She smiled at them all.

"I'll write everyday." She said. "And you know me. When I say I'll do something,"

"You'll do it." Harry said. Hermione smiled at him.

"Take good care of Ginny for me, Harry." She said. He smiled and walked forward. He hugged her.

"It's not good-bye, Hermione." He said, pulling back, holding onto her shoulders and looking her in the eye. "It's just a 'see you later'." She smiled at him.

"I know." She said. "It's just I can't help but this has an air of good-bye." He chuckled and hugged her again.

"I'll see you later, Hermione." He said, standing back.

"Yeah. I'll see you, Harry." She said. She went around and said her 'see you laters' to everyone else. She smiled up at Severus. They had already had their 'see you laters'. She turned to Tonks and Kingsly.

"Are you ready?" Kingsly asked in his low voice. Hermione smiled.

"One day, Kingsly, I'm going to see you in pink." She said. They had been talking at lunch about how no one had ever seen him wear pink. He laughed. As did everyone. She had achieved her goal. If she had left this house with this eerie sadness hanging over it, she wouldn't've been able to bring herself to leave. She smiled.

"Lets go." She said. She smiled and waved one last time to everyone before being led out the door and into the chilly night air.

*** * ***

Hermione sighed once again as they sat in a waiting room. They had been waiting there for the better part of half an hour. She tried not to think about what the others may be doing right then. She tried especially not to think of what Severus might be doing. Finally three people walked over to them. One was the minister of magic, Rufus Scrimgeour. Another they recognized as his secretary. The third was a man with long brown hair, glowing green eyes, and a homey look to him. He was wearing a brown silken shirt, dark tan pants, and a long brown coat. He was about 5'7" and was skinny.

"Miss Granger, this is your new teacher, Paul McKindrie." The minister said.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Hermione Granger. Everywhere I turn, I've heard nothing bad about you." He said, taking her hand and bowing, touching her fingers to his forehead.

"You couldn't've been talking to the minister then." She said. He laughed, not realizing she was serious.

"Such charisma!" He said. "I do believe she and I will get along just fine." He said.

"Perfect. Now my secretary shall lead you to your portkey." The Minister said. "Shaklebolt, Tonks, with me. A few occurrences have come up and they need your attention." He said.

"Be safe Hermione. Have fun. I'll come check in on you every so often." Tonks said, hugging her.

"That won't be necessary, trust me. I shall keep her under my eye at all times. Nothing will be fall her." Paul said.

"I trust you." Tonks said. Kingsly stepped towards her.

"Be safe, Hermione. And when you return, you may very well see me in pink." He said. Hermione smiled and hugged him.

"I look forward to that." She said. Then he and Tonks followed the Minister to his office. She then turned to Paul.

"Is this your trunk?" He asked, motioning to the trunk at her feet.

"Yes, it is." She said. _Who else's would it be? I don't see any others around here._ She thought, but kept her mouth shut. Paul took out his wand, and levitated the trunk behind them. They then followed the secretary down a hallway, down a staircase, and into another department. She handed a piece of parchment to the secretary there, and then walked off. The secretary behind the desk got an old eggbeater and handed it to them along with a connecting strap for her trunk.

"It will leave in two minutes." The secretary said, and returned to her work. Hermione took the strap, and attached one end to the eggbeater, and the other to her trunk. She then stood up and sighed, looking around the room.

"Sad to be leaving London?" Paul asked her.

"More of sad to be leaving my family." She said. He nodded.

"Well, you're leaving this family behind, but you're going to a better family. One that understands everything you're going through." He said. Hermione looked into his warm smiling face, and couldn't help but feel reassured.

_But will they understand __**me?**_ She wondered. Then they both took a hold of the eggbeater, and suddenly they were spinning through air. Two seconds later they landed with a thud! on the ground. Hermione 'oomph'ed as she hit, and then got up. Paul was getting up himself. She looked around her. They were standing in front of a nice white house, with lights on inside of it. She smiled. It was gorgeous. Noise to her left made her jump and look. A white peacock was strutting across the ground a few yards away. She smiled. She had a feeling she was going to like it here.

"Ahh, Yaxley. I see you've come at last with the mudblood brat." A voice drawled behind her.


	11. Life at Grimmauld Place without Hermione

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but what is mine. Rest is the wonderful imagination of J. K. Rowling.**

_**  
**__**Chapter Eleven**_

_**Life at Grimmauld Place without Hermione**__**  
**_

Everyone stood staring after Hermione. Then Mrs. Weasley cleared her throat.

"Who's up for some tea?" She asked her voice hoarse from her tears. Everyone was instantly murmuring their agreement. They all went into the kitchen, except for Severus who stood, leaning on the second floor railing. He stood up, and turned. He stared at the wall. He sighed and walked into Hermione's room. He sat on the bed, and ran his hand over the covers. He sighed again, and looked around the room. Suddenly his eyes fell on a stuffed animal sitting in the window. He stood up and walked over to it. He picked it up. It was a blue bear. He closed his eyes and brought it to his nose. Her scent still lingered on it. He smiled as he exhaled. He then held it to his chest as he looked out the dark window into the night.

_Good luck, Hermione. Wherever you are. I wish you well, and for you to come back soon. I'll think of you always._ He thought. He then sat on the bed, and leaned his back against the pillows. He laid his head against the headboard, the bear lying on his chest, and closed his eyes, drifting into a calm, happy sleep, dreaming of his young love.

*******

Harry smiled smelling the sweet smell of chamomile tea. He took a sip of the hot, sweet liquid and sighed inwardly.

"Well." Tonks said. She had gotten back a few minutes ago. "I suppose we'll continue with your lessons tomorrow since you've had today off." Ron groaned, Ginny kept silent, sipping her tea, and Harry smiled.

"Harry?" Mrs. Weasley asked. He looked at her. "Are you alright? You seem. . . thoughtful." She said. He smiled at her.

"I'm fine Mrs. Weasley." He said. She smiled.

"Well. . .that's. . .good, dear." She said. Harry, knowing tears were coming again, stood up, and walked over to her. He wrapped his arms around her and she sobbed into his shoulder. He just stood there, comforting her as she cried. Fred walked past.

"You'd think she'd lost a child." He muttered. She heard him.

"FRED WEASLEY!" She cried, and made to hit his shoulder. He ducked it and smiled.

"You know it's true! As Harry said, it was only a 'see you later'! She'll be back!" He said, and ducked another swing. He laughed.

*******

The next morning found Severus holed up in the potion lab that Hermione had set up. He smiled as he looked around at the neat shelves of ingredients. He was shocked when he saw ingredients that were very rare. They were all labeled, and set in neat rows, organized in alphabetical order. Everything was neat and clean. Hermione kept her lab just as, if not cleaner than he kept his own. He set up a cauldron and stared a fire under it. He then walked around the lab, getting ingredients to a potion. Not a potion known to the world, but a new one. A brand new creation he was going to make - for Hermione. He started his potion, pouring several ingredients into the cauldron.

*******

"Severus. There you are. Have you been in the lab all day?" Remus asked as Severus walked into the kitchen.

"Yes." He said, going to the spice cabinet. He looked around it, moving spices around, looking for one in particular.

"What are you looking for, Severus?" Mrs. Weasley asked him.

"Chamomile extract." He said. She smiled.

"If you want tea, dear, I can make you some." She said.

"It's not for tea, Molly. I need it for a potion I'm brewing." He said. She looked at him, staring at him, scrutinizing him.

"I keep it in that drawer." She said, pointing to a drawer under the counter blew the cabinet he was looking him He closed the cabinet and pulled open the drawer. He pulled out a jar, and smiled.

"Thank you, Molly." He said and left the kitchen.

"Did he just smile?" Molly asked Remus. He was as bewildered as she was.

"And thanked you." He said. "What ever happened during that month and week between him and Hermione must've been good." Remus said. Molly nodded at him, and then stared bewildered at the door after Severus. She shook her head and got back to making dinner.

*******

Severus sighed, staring at the bottle in front of him. He had finished his project, but he doubted it could work for what it was meant to do.

_It's more of a perfume than a potion. Severus, you fool. You should've known better than to add that chamomile._ He scolded himself. _And you added too much essence of Rose petal._ He sighed. _Well, at least she'll have another scent to try. . .as if anything's wrong with her scent in the first place. . ._ He smelled the bear he carried with him now. He would shrink it and put it in his pocket when he was around others, and he'd sit and hold it while he was alone, thinking of the gorgeous young girl his heart yearned to see again.


	12. Plain Intentions

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but what is mine. Rest is the wonderful imagination of J. K. Rowling.**

_**  
**__**Chapter Twelve**_

_**Plain Intentions**_

An amulet was draped around her neck, and locked in place with magic. Hermione jumped, gasped, and then attempted to scream. Something pushed against her vocal cords, and she couldn't make a sound. She tried to run, but hands grabbed her arms, keeping her from doing anything but jumping and kicking with all her strength.

"Now, now, Granger. Behave. I wouldn't want to harm you before I take you before the Dark Lord." Lucius Malfoy drawled, entering her line of vision. Her eyes flared as soon as she saw him, and fought even harder, trying to get at him to kill him. He laughed. She then realized something. _Her powers._ She settled down, and waited to see what they'd do with her. Then Paul walked into Hermione's view as well.

"Well at least the brat's settled down." He said. "Being so nice to her was disgusting." He said, and spit on the ground at her feet. She glared at him.

"Looks like she realized that we really would hurt her if she didn't behave. And take of that silly disguise, you idiot! You don't need it anymore." Lucius said. Paul then took out a wand, and waved it over himself. His skin and clothes melted way to reveal a large man with muscled arms, and short brown hair. His dark eyes were malicious. He grinned wolfishly at her. She stared. Then silently cursed herself. She should've known. She glared at him. He laughed a hard, cold laugh.

"Shut-up fool. Jax, take her to her rooms. The Dark Lord will be here to see her in a few minutes." Lucius said. Suddenly Hermione was lifted off her feet, and slung over someone's broad shoulder. "Wait." Lucius stopped them. Then he walked forward, and slid Hermione's slender wand from her pants waistband. She was then carried toward the house. She heard Yaxley ask Lucius:

"What do we do with her stuff?" He asked.

"You will be taking them to her rooms." Lucius drawled. "I have details to look over with the house elves." Hermione was then taken inside and up stairs. She closed her eyes from the motion that was suddenly tossing her stomach. Finally she felt them stop. She opened her eyes. They were in a hallway. The man under her must be opening a door. Her thought was confirmed when they walked into a room. He closed the door, and set her down. He still had a hold of her arms so she couldn't move.

"I'm going to let you go, but you have to promise not to attack me." He said. She stared at him in disbelief. "Look. I'm going to let you go, and I'm going to talk. Alright?" He asked. "I'm not going to touch you or harm you. You just have to listen, and do as I ask, please. I don't want to harm you, but I'll have to if you don't behave." He said. She nodded. "Good." He slowly let go of her arms.

"These are to be your rooms. There is the door to your closet, and the door to your bathroom." He said, pointing to two doors across the room from each other. She nodded. Those are the doors leading to your balcony. You may go out onto it, but you won't be able to leave. Strict measures have been taken by the Dark Lord so you won't be able to leave these rooms until you have earned trust here." He said. Just then Yaxley walked in, and dropped the levitating trunk on the floor.

"Hurry up, Jax. Lucius is holding a meeting before the Dark Lord comes." He said, and then left. Jax nodded. He then pulled out his wand. He waved it and Hermione felt her pressure on her vocal cords let up. She sighed and rubbed her neck.

"You're different." She said to him at last. He had been putting her clothing into her closet. He paused and looked at her. He smiled.

"They all say that." He said. He finished putting up her clothes. He walked back to her. "I warn you now, don't act up in front of the Dark Lord, and you'll be fine. I'll come up later with food." And he left. She sighed and looked around the room. She then walked towards the French doors. She threw them open. She walked to the edge of the balcony. She reached her hand out over the railing, and jerked it back. She had had her hand stung by a shield around the balcony. She walked into her room, and touched the door handle. She jerked it back, and cradled it to her chest. It was burned. She sighed.

_Looks like he was telling the truth._ Hermione thought. _Imagine that. An honest death eater. _She thought wryly as she walked into the bathroom. She found a washcloth and soaked it in cold water. She wrung it out and wrapped it around her burned hand. She then walked into the main room and took her first good look around. It was huge. There was an oak desk in the corner with an ink well, a quill, and parchment. She sighed. All the tools to write, nothing to deliver. She continued to look around. There was a floor length mirror hanging on the wall. The walls were a nice dusty rose color. The carpet on the floor was a light, almost white pink, and very soft. There was a table in the middle of the room with two chairs; all three were painted to match the floor. The comforter on her bed matched the walls. Her pillows were covered in silk, all matching her walls and floor. She scowled. Their intentions were clear as day to her. They meant for her to be comfortable here. They meant for her to be happy – or moderately so. They meant for her to stay. She sighed and sat on her bed. That wasn't going to happen. She was going to do as Jax had suggested. She'll behave . . . for now.


	13. A Death Eater Friend and Asking For Help

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but what is mine. Rest is the wonderful imagination of J. K. Rowling.**

_**  
Chapter Thirteen**_

_**A Death Eater Friend and Asking for Help  
**_

Hermione was lying back on her pillows, half asleep, half awake. Then she jerked up as someone knocked on the door.

"Miss Hermione? It's Jax. May I come in?" He called through the door. Hermione sighed.

"Yes, Jax. Of course." She said. He opened the door and came in with a silver tray of food. He went to the table, and took the items off of the tray, and set them onto the table. He then set the tray on the desk, and signaled for her to come sit down. She did. "Jax? May I ask you a question?" She asked.

"Of course you can, Miss Hermione." He said, smiling at her as he pulled out a chair for her. She sat down, let him scoot her chair into the table. She waited for him to sit, but he didn't.

"Please, sit down." She said. He did so. "Why are you going out of your way to be so kind to me?" She whispered to him. He sighed. He waved his hand, and suddenly music began to play loudly. He leaned forward.

"They're listening so I must be quick about this." He whispered. She nodded, leaning forward to hear him better. "I am a spy for Dumbledore. I work for the order. When I was told by the Dark Lord, I was sworn to secrecy. I couldn't tell anyone in the order even if I had the chance." He said. "I am going to do my best to protect you, make sure no arm becomes of you. I'll have you know that amulet is suppressing your elemental powers. You won't be able to fight back if you act up." He said. She fingered the amulet around her neck that she had noticed as she had gotten the washcloth for her hand. He nodded.

"The Dark Lord wants you to join his side. Help him over throw the order. i_You must say that you will._"/i He told her. "That is the only way they will not harm you is if you agree, and play along with their plans. Then when you get the trust you need, they will set you free to infiltrate the Order. Then you will be able to escape, but only then." He said. She nodded, putting sugar into the tea in front of her. "If you disagree, they will lock you in the dungeons, and torture you into insanity, and then slowly kill you. They won't stop, even if you say you change your mind and will help them. I have been assigned as your guard. I will help you as much as I can, but I cannot be around you at all times if I'm to do my job for Albus properly. When I am away, Joaden, another Spy will take over. He is mute, and will not be able to help you so much. Mind yourself, Miss Hermione. And watch your back at all times." He said. Suddenly he stood up and the music stopped.

"The Dark Lord will be here in a few minutes. I will come and get you then." He said in a louder, more business like tone. Hermione nodded.

"Very well. Leave now, please." She said. He nodded, winked at her, and left. Hermione sat there, thinking hard about what she had just been told. She sipped her tea coming to a conclusion.

*** * *  
**

Hermione sighed as she set her now empty tea cup down. She stood up and went out onto the balcony. She crossed her arms on the railing and leaned on it, letting the cool night breeze blow in her hair. She sighed again, this time in semi-content as she felt the cool play around her, calming her. It reminded her of the days she'd spend on the back porch at her house in summers past. She felt a tear slip out from under her eyelid and went slowly down her check, tickling it, until it reached her chin and dropped off and onto the her arm. She sighed, opened her eyes, and looked up at the moon, trying to push her tears back. It didn't help. She saw the moon's face.

**bxxX – Flashback – Xxx/b**

_i"Daddy?" Asked a seven year old Hermione Granger. She sat on a couch swing on their back porch, cuddled up under the arm of her father._

"_What is it sweetie?" He asked._

"_Why does it look like the moon has a face?" She asked._

"_That's because it does. You see, a long, long time ago a man fell on hard times. You see, his wife told him that she didn't love him anymore. Two weeks later both of his little children died in a fire. He was so hurt." He said. Hermione nodded. She could understand that. "Then he fell on financial hard times, having to pay for a double funeral, and a divorce as well. Finally it became too much. He jumped off a cliff. His spirit then rose and met the moon. The moon had asked him why he jumped. When the man told the moon, the moon was very upset. He asked the man if he wished to stay with him. The man agreed. And from then on the moon smiles down at the earth with the man's face. That way, anyone who knew the man, could say that the last time they saw him, a smile was on his face."_

"_That's sad." Hermione finally said._

"_It is. But you know what? Every night when I'm upset about something, I look up at the man and the moon, and I say this: 'Man and Moon, hear my voice. Lend me thy smiling face tonight. Share my sorrows, heal my wounds. Let them see me with a smile upon my face.' And every time I say that, I feel so much better. Better enough, that I am able to smile." He said looking up at the moon. He then looked down at her. "So remember 'Mione. Next time you're upset about something, just ask the Man and the Moon for help."_

"_Alright, Daddy." She said._

"_Hermione! Bed time!" Her mother called from the house./i_

**bxxX – End Flashback – Xxx/b**

Hermione looked up at the moon, and through her tears managed to say:

"Man and Moon, hear my voice. Lend me thy smiling face tonight. Share my sorrows, heal my wounds. Let them see me with a smile upon my face." She then wiped away her tears. Her heart felt better, but she couldn't smile. Not yet, anyway.

"Where did you learn that?" Jax asked from behind her. She jumped and squealed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." He said. She sighed.

"It's alright. My dad taught it to me. He told me that when he was upset he said that to the moon, and he felt better. Better enough to smile." She said, turning back to the railing.

"Do you feel well enough to smile?" He asked. She sighed, and looked at her hands. "I'll take that as a 'no'." He said. She chuckled. She then looked to her right, towards him, but not quite reaching him.

"Is he here?" She asked.

"Yes. It's time to go." He said. She nodded. She wiped her face from the tears stains remaining, and straightened out her clothes. She cleared her throat.

"Let's go then. We shouldn't keep him waiting." She said. He nodded and led the way out.


	14. The Dark Lord Proposes

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but what is mine. Rest is the wonderful imagination of J. K. Rowling.**

_**  
**_Chapter Fourteen

The Dark Lord Proposes _**  
**_

Hermione followed Jax out of the room, down several hallways and flights of stairs, through a luxurious mansion. They paused outside of the door, and Jax looked at Hermione.

"Are you ready for this?" He asked her quietly. She shook her head, and motioned for him to continue. He knocked four times, waited a second, knocked once, waited another second, and then knocked 5 times. He repeated this twice, and then waited. Then a series of clicking was heard from within the door, and it swung open of its own accord. Jax looked at her, and nodded her in. She walked in, and jumped slightly as the door closed behind her. She looked back and saw that Jax hadn't followed her in.

_Guess I have to do this alone._ Hermione thought. She took a deep breath, made sure all her mind guards were well in place before proceeding further into the room. She realized as she walked that it was a _huge_ room. She looked around, and realized that it normally was a dinning area for a great number of people, on big occasions. She looked around and saw several things she wasn't surprised to see: Snakes, green, silver, black, and other such things. What she didn't expect to see was portraits depicting people with fair complexions, platinum, almost silver hair and the most curious eyes that seemed to shift from an icy blue to a stormy grey. As she looked at them, she realized that some of them were humanoid elves, very beautiful and feline like. As she went on she saw more and more humans. Then she froze at one portrait; it was of a man who face was calm, but his eyes, his eyes were twisted, full of hatred and anger. Next to him was a woman, so calm, peaceful, her eyes radiated calmness and loving. She depicted more of her elven lineage than the man did. Her brows were slanted up on the outsides, her eyes angled down near her nose which was slender. Her mouth was full and her ears were angled, not exactly pointed. Her long locks were straight, flowing over her shoulder's and down her back, and the true length wasn't depicted, for it went down past her breast. She studied her, for she was beautiful. Then, her mind remembered something, and she looked back at the man's portrait. She studied it and then gasped.

"Yes, Miss Granger, that is one of my more loyal servants, Lucius Malfoy." Said a very snakelike voice behind her. She spun on her heel, and looked right into the eyes of the foulest man she knew. His red slit-like eyes boring into her own honey brown ones. She stood there looking at him for the longest time, battling with her emotions, before she nodded to him, and then turned to look back at the portrait. It was indeed Lucius Malfoy. She looked at the engravings of the portraits.

_Kimithain Paulina Malfoy_

_1932-1954_

Hermione cringed. She was only 22 when she died.

_Lucius Darmien Malfoy_

_1946- _

Hermione cringed again. They were obviously brother and sister, and she died when he was only eight. She never realized such atrocities had happened in the Malfoy line. Then her mind froze, caught on one thought that seemed to allude her. Then it hit her with full force.

"We're in Malfoy Mansion, aren't we?" She asked. It's the only placed she figured there would be such portraits. He chuckled.

"Well, well, Miss Granger. Seems like my servants were right in their information. You are a bright one, Miss Granger. Indeed, we are in Malfoy mansion. Lucius has kindly given me – and therefore you – room in his house." He said.

"What about Draco?"

"Oh, he's not here, so needless to say it's just you, me, and a few of my death eaters."

"No, I mean, where's his portrait?" She asked.

"Oh. The Malfoys have traditions to be followed, dear. He won't have a portrait to hang up there until he's twenty. Now, just incase he dies before he's twenty, a portrait has been made of him every year since he was ten." Hermione watched him with interest. He looked at her. "But this isn't why I have called a meeting with you."

"I know." Hermione said. "But one can't help but try to quench their thirst for knowledge, now can they?" Hermione asked. He chuckled.

"I think this is going to be quite the experience for the both of us." He said. She smiled. "Come, let us walk." He said, gesturing with his right hand while offering her his left arm. She smiled and gently rested her hand in the crook of his arm.

They walked down the rest of the dinning hall, and to a door, and through it into the most beautiful garden. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. He was garbed in black velvet robes, his hood down, revealing his bald, smooth head. She sighed inwardly, and looked around the fairy-light bathed garden. Gorgeous and exotic flowers were there, permeating the air with a mixture of scents.

"I take it you are fully aware of your situation?" He asked her.

"The fact that you kidnapped me, put this amulet on me to sap my powers because you're actually afraid of me and what I can do to. You won't take it off of me, you won't let me wonder the house, or give me any freedoms until I agree to betray the people who have stood beside me when no one else would, and help you kill the one person who just might relieve the world from your tyranny." Hermione stated in a matter-of-fact, indifferent voice. He stopped, making her stop, and looked at her. She looked him in the eye.

"Does that upset you?" He asked her. She looked around at the flowers, and then returned his gaze.

"At first." She said.

"Only at first? Not anymore?"

"Not really," Hermione continued walking, making him come with her. "because when I thought about it, I realized that I really should agree." He stared at her in shock. "I mean after all, what have they done for me? Nothing really. I stood beside Harry all these years, helped him, risked my life for him, and how does he repay me? By ignoring me, that's how. Ronald's a stupid idiot, wouldn't tell me he liked me when I liked him as well, and now what? They've lost me. The entire order too! I help them with things, nearly get killed because of it, and what happens? As soon as they find out I'm an elemental, they cart me off to some unknown place with some unknown man, when for all they knew he could've been a death eater, which, mind you, he was." She said, nodding to him. He chuckled.

"Well, miss Granger, it looks like you've got anger, guts, power, and skills to be of use." He said. "Why should you help a bunch of ungrateful people who won't repay you for what you did for them?"

"A sense of honor? Of honesty and a sense of self satisfaction?" She offered. He looked at her. She had a twisted, evil-ish smirk on her face. He laughed.

"I like your sense of humor, Granger. I like it indeed." He said.

"So what will you do?" She asked.

"How so?"

"You said yourself, why should I help people who won't repay me for what I do for them? So what will you do for me?" She asked. He smiled.

"Now you're thinking like me, Granger. I can make you a queen. Have you rule by my side when I finally crush Potter." He said.

"That's it?" She stopped, pulled her hand from his arm, and crossed her arms. She looked him in the eye as she continued. "I'm going to help you defeat people I've worked along side for the last eight years. I know more about them and the way they work than any of your men could ever hope to know, and you're offering me queen ship _if_ you defeat Harry? Why should I go on something that might _not_ happen? I want something that I can use _now_." She said. He looked at her.

"You doubt that I will succeed? Even with you by my side?" He asked.

"There is the possibility. After all, he's defeated you six times already, not counting the time he defeated your _memory_. Who's to say he won't find a way to do it again? I need an absolute here, Voldemort. I can't just help you on the promise of _someday._ I need the promise of _now._" She said. He stared at her, thinking for a bit. Finally he spoke.

"Fine. I shall give you a reward now. You help us, you help _me_, and the death eaters shall listen to you, as they do me." He said.

"So you're saying that if I help you, I can give the death eaters orders, and they will listen?" Hermione asked.

"I will still have the ultimate say over things," He said. "But yes, that is the idea. Do you accept?" He asked.

"One more thing." She said.

"What?" He sighed.

"I will expect respect. From you and the death eaters. If one person so much as _thinks_ the word mudblood around me, I will kill them." She said. He smirked at her.

"You're thinking like a death Eater, Granger." He said.

"Hermione." She corrected. She held out her hand. "You've got yourself an elemental, Voldemort." Voldemort smiled, took her hand, and bowing somewhat, brushed her fingers with a light kiss. She smiled at him.

~*~*~

**A/N: Ok everybody!! Here's Chapter four!! I hope you all enjoyed it! Please, please, PLEASE review!!**

**I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update my stories, but I've been busy.**

**I'm currently a week and 6 months pregnant, and in my junior year of High School (DO **_**NOT**_** SEND ME REVIEWS TELLING ME HOW STUPID I AM!!! I **_**WILL**_** FIND A WAY TO BLOCK YOU!). With doing my best to keep up my studies, attending as many band practices as pregnantly possible, and my responsibilities at home, I find it difficult to keep my stories going on a regular basis.**

**Please keep in mind however, that I will **_**not**_** stop writing, and I **_**will**_** do my best to keep it going.**

**To those of you who read this story and do not like it, then **_**please**_** stop reading it do not send me rather…displeasing…reviews.**

**But again, **_**PLEASE**_** review (The button is just down there!!!). Maybe if I get more great reviews, I might be able to update more and faster…just sayin'. Lol.**

**Even if I don't, I **_**will**_** still update. Promise!**

**Love to all my fabulous readers (and better, reviewers!)  
~NekaMo**


	15. The Sickness of Terrible News

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but what is mine. Rest is the wonderful imagination of J. K. Rowling.**

_**  
**_Chapter Fifteen

The Sickness of Terrible News

Hermione sat on her legs and retched into the toilet. What remained of the dinner she had eaten so long ago came up and splashed into the commode. When that was gone, bile came up. Jax was standing behind her, holding her hair back so she didn't throw up on it. Finally she collapsed to the side, against Jax's legs, her left hand gripping the rim of the commode so tightly, her knuckles were whiter than the commode. Her whole body was taken over by uncontrollable tremors. She lay there, gasping. She started as something cold and wet was laid on her forehead. She reached up and touched it to realize that Jax had put a damp washcloth on her forehead. She smiled faintly, and then lurched to the commode, catching the washcloth and vomited more. Her throat seared as nothing but bile came up. After she finished she groaned.

"Come on, miss Hermione. Let's get you up and to the bed." Jax said, gently grabbing her elbows and helping her to her feet.

"I can walk, Jax. I'll be fine." She said. But as soon as he let go, she started to collapse. Jax managed to throw his arms around her waist to keep her from hitting the ground. He then picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. Just then Lucius walked in with Bellatrix. They stood there staring at Jax and Hermione as Jax stared back at them. Hermione was curled into Jax's chest, away from them.

"Jax, I should hope you are treating our Lord's guest with the utmost care and respect." Lucius said in a venomous, yet humorous tone.

"Shut up, Malfoy." Hermione groaned. Lucius looked at her. She turned her head and he and Bellatrix both saw how pale she was.

_Her skin is whiter than snow._ Observed Bellatrix.

"How _dare_ you speak to me like that you insufferable, little, know-it-all Mudblood!" He spat. Hermione jumped from Jax's arms, stood there, and glared at him. She called upon her elemental powers. She nearly passed out from the effort. She had forgotten about the amulet. She abandoned that, and called upon her normal powers. She then thrust her hand at him, and he flew into the wall behind him. Jax put his hand on Hermione's back before she collapsed again.

"I may not be able to use my elemental powers, but don't you _dare_ underestimate my powers, Lucius Darmien Malfoy. And you'd better learn respect for one who will soon rule over you." She said. He stared at her in shock.

"You plan to overthrow the Dark Lord?" He laughed.

"Hardly. I plan to rule next to him." Lucius looked like he had been slapped.

"What happened to you?" Bellatrix said before Lucius could say anything. "You're whiter than snow, and Jax has to support you. Are you sick?"

"A bit. It will pass." Hermione said dismissively before she sat on her bed.

"But you will be better?" She asked.

"Yes, Bellatrix, I shall be fine." Hermione responded.

"Good. I trust the Dark Lord will want you to dine with him." She said, grabbed Lucius and left. Hermione's face drained of any color it had left. She ran to the bathroom and got to the commode barely in time. Jax sighed and followed her in.

*** * ***

"Are you well? I received news of your sickness." Voldemort said as they sat across from each other the next day, food in front of them.

"I am fine. I'm afraid that all the excitement of being kidnapped and finally realizing the order was wrong was a little much to undertake in the course of three hours." Hermione said.

"You are well now though, yes?" He asked.

"A little dizzy now and then, but yes, perfectly fine." Hermione said.

"Good. That is very good." Voldemort said and took a bite of his steak. They sat in silence for a while, eating and drinking. Then Voldemort spoke. "Tomorrow night we are having a branding ceremony. New witches and wizards are waiting to be admitted into the Death Eater's numbers." Hermione watched him, wondering where he was going with this.

"You want me to watch?" She asked when he didn't say anything else.

"Yes," He said. "And no. I want you to be _in_ it. Not just watch it. You won't be branded like the others, no. It will be different, trust me. After the ceremony, if all goes well, the amulet shall be taken away." He said, looking her in the eye. She watched him, looking for the trap to spring at any moment.

"What if it doesn't go well?" She asked.

"Then you shall die." He said simply. There it was: Behave or Die.

"What happens afterwards, if all does go well?" She asked, masking the trickle of fear that was seeping into her veins.

"Then you will rule by my side, helping me to crush my enemies." He said. And again: Stay and rule by my side or Die. Hermione didn't like her options. She smiled and nodded.

"Well then. I guess we'll just have to make sure everything goes according to plan then, won't we?" She said. He smiled.

"Indeed we shall." He said. He raised his glass of wine. "Here's to tomorrow night, Hermione." He said. Hermione raised her own glass.

"Tomorrow night." They drank.

**_~*~*~_**

**_A/N: _I know!! I know!!! It's been forever since I updated!! So I figured I'd give you a black friday gift, huh? I was actually itching to update a story, but I haven't quite finished the next chapter to Their Love, so when I do I will update it by itself. I promise to work harder on getting these chapters done faster and uploading them faster.**

**I have recently become enamored with quite a few stories I've found around, and after finding no more in my prefered genre (that of Semione), I have fentured into others, and I have found myself entranced in a world that I have otherwise left untouched. I would appreciate it if someone could point me in the direction of a decent Remus/Hermione fanfic to read.**

**I hoped you enjoyed this chapter! Please, please, please, please, PLEASE review!!!**

**Love to all my faithful readers and even more awesome reviewers,**

**~Neka**


	16. Preperations

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but what is mine. Rest is the wonderful imagination of J. K. Rowling.**

_**  
**__**Chapter Sixteen**_

_**Preparations**_

Hermione woke up to someone coming into her room. She opened her eyes and watched as a girl entered her room quietly and set some clothes, wash things and other things on the top of the chest of drawers. The girl turned around and screamed as she saw Hermione's eyes were open and staring at her. She held her hand over her heart that was obviously beating very quickly.

"Miss Hermione! You gave me quite a fright!" She said, and walked over to the French doors, pulling open the drapes covering them.

"Who are you?" Hermione asked her. She girl smiled at her. She couldn't have been any older than twenty, but she looked like she was older. Her hair was starting to turn grey, her eyes were older, and knowledgeable, and she moved with a caution as if she lived having to watch all around her with every step.

"My name is Kindra, ma'am. Kindra Dranstine." She said. Hermione looked at her. Her hair was up in a tight bun, with a few curls around her face. But that wasn't what brought Hermione's attention to her hair. What drew her attention was the fact that her hair was _magenta_. Her eyes, too, were different. They were hot pink.

"That's a beautiful name, Kindra." Hermione said, sitting up and swinging her legs off the side of the bed. "You don't mind if I only call you Kindra, right?" She asked. She smiled.

"Not at all, miss." Kindra said, smiling. "Come though, we must get you ready for tonight. There are special preparations and rituals that must be done for the ceremony tonight." Hermione looked at her.

"They aren't going to hurt are they? Because if they are, then after the ceremony, I'll have to hurt someone. Preferably Malfoy Sr." She said. Kindra laughed.

"I would love to see that miss." She said, and then gasped, clapping her hands over her mouth. Her eyes were as round as galleons.

"You're his servant, aren't you?" Hermione asked. She nodded. "Well you don't need to worry about talking badly about him in front of me. I don't like him at all, so it's not as if I'll go running off and tell him his servant's bad mouthing him." Hermione said, smiling at her. Kindra slowly lowered her hands.

"Thank you miss. Now we must get you bathed. There are special salts and rubs we must bath you in. And for there are so many to do, and only a few go with each other, then it will be the first bath out of seven." She said. Hermione sighed.

"Really? _Seven_ baths? In _one_ day?" Hermione asked. Does he really want me to become a permanent prune?" She asked.

"Well, that's not including the very first bath to get you squeaky clean." Kindra said in a false, over cheery voice. Hermione rolled her eyes. Kindra walked back to the dresser.

"I think I'll be dead before the ceremony has a _chance_ to go wrong." She said. Kindra laughing. Hermione liked her laugh. It was a nice alto tinkering of bells.

"Come on, Miss Hermione, let's draw your bath." Kindra said.

"Just Hermione, please." She said. Kindra looked at her, and finally nodded.

"But only in private. Other wise I'll be whipped for impudence and lack of respect." Kindra said. Hermione winced and nodded.

"Deal." Kindra picked up the things she had set down on the dresser, and led the way into the bathroom. Hermione followed her into the bathroom, and sat on the far end edge of the tub, out of Kindra's way. Kindra set down the things, and began hot water in the tub. Hermione sighed.

"A hot water bath. There's a novelty." She said. Kindra looked at her. "Death eaters had been chasing me non stop for around 37 days, and when I finally got back I had to take a cold shower to get clean and keep myself awake. Needless to say, I haven't had a hot bath or shower in over a month."

"If the death eaters were chasing you, why do you now join them?" Kindra asked.

"It's a long story." Hermione said. Kindra reached out to test the water, and yelped. She went to adjust the water temperature, but Hermione laid a hand on her arm to stop her. Kindra looked at her in curiosity. Hermione reached to test the water. It was pleasantly warm to her. Her brow furrowed, her hand still under the water flow. Kindra watched, her eyes huge.

_If the amulet is suppressing my elemental powers, then how is the water that so easily burns Kindra, only feeling warm to me?_ Hermione wondered. She used her free hand to pull the amulet out from under her nightgown. It was glowing a very bright red. Kindra threw her hands over her eyes to protect them. Hermione stared at it. She finally tucked it away. She shook off the excess water from her hand after drawing it out from the water flow, and she walked into her bedroom. She found the candles that had been lit last night. Kindra followed her into the bed room.

"Hermione? What's wrong?" She asked.

"Nothing. Stay back. Oh, and don't adjust the temperature on the water, I like it the way it is." She said, staring at the candles.

"But it's burning hot!" Kindra protested.

"To you, but to me, it's pleasantly warm." Hermione said.

"How!?!" Kindra asked, shocked.

"I'm about to find out." She stared at the candles for a while. She finally started to draw on her power, gently. Her head spun, but she didn't stop. She quickly pulled the amulet out from under her night gown, just in case what she thought would happen really did. She kept pulling on her power, drawing it up to her, and trying to use it to light the candles. She felt it alter course around her upper chest, flowing into the amulet. She smiled, even as her eyes started to roll back into her head.

_FINALLY!!!_ She thought as the red gem in her amulet exploded, and she fell backwards. She barely heard Kindra scream over the sudden rushing sound that had suddenly filled her ears – her elemental powers were coming back into her body. She felt a pair of strong hands pull her into a sitting position. Her eyes slowly rolled back down, but all she could see was a glowing black. She shuddered. The hands drew her close to a body. She could tell it wasn't Kindra's – the chest was too flat. It was a male. Finally the glowing black stopped, and the only black she saw was the back of her eyelids. She pulled up and hand, and gently pushed on the chest. The person – whoever it was – let her lean back some – not too much – but far enough to open her eyes and focus on who was holding her.

She smiled up into the face of Jax. He had a very worried look on his face, and she could hear Kindra, in the background, completely frantic.

"What on earth did you do, Miss Hermione? You're paler than a fresh born polar bear in an ice storm." He said. She giggled. She was still very light-headed.

"I can use my powers." She said.

"But, Miss Hermione, you can't. Your amulet, it-"

"It's destroyed. That's what I just did." She giggled again. "Even when going along with his plans, I defy him." She held up what remained of the amulet on the chain around her neck. Jax looked down in shock to see nothing but an iron and copper ring hanging off of the chain, with a few shards of ruby sticking out from the edges. He picked her up and set her on the bed.

"You'll need help gettin' her ready for the ceremony tonight." Jax said. "Miss Hermione, I'm sorry, but you'll have to have Bella help you. She's the only female death eater physically capable of helping." He said. She nodded to him, and closed her eyes, tired from the exhaustion of blowing up her amulet.

"I understand, but, Jax. Before you go." Hermione said.

"Yes?"

"I need you to put an illusion on my amulet to make it look like it's still intact. Bella will get suspicious otherwise." She said.

"Right. Of course. I should've thought of that myself." Jax said. He quickly waved his wand over the pendant, and it looked good as new. He then nodded. "I'll go get Bella. I'll see you tonight, Miss Hermione." He said. He then left the room. Hermione rolled over and looked at her candle. She glared at it, and the wick burst into life. She smiled, and rolled over. Kindra was standing there, looking at her, her face pale.

"Surely you knew I was an elemental?" Hermione said. Kindra stood there, looking at her.

"I was told you were, yes, but I never imagined you could do _that_." Kindra said. Suddenly she ran to the bathroom.

"Kindra!?!" Hermione called, worried.

"THE TUB!!!" Kindra called back. Hermione sighed and rolled back down. Kindra had left the tub running. She had remembered that. Just then the door opened. In walked Bellatrix. She looked at Hermione and smiled. Hermione inwardly shuddered.

"Well, well, well. It will be a _pleasure_ to help our new queen." She said, walking over to the bed.

"Yes well, just remember, I _will_ be your queen, so one false move, and I'll make sure you're out." She said, her eyes half closed. Bellatrix looked at her.

"Well. You certainly _sound_ worthy of the title. But I won't be impressed until you follow through on it." Bellatrix said. Hermione chuckled.

"Trust me, I'll be much, much worse than you could imagine." Hermione muttered. Bellatrix sneered down at her.

"I'll believe it when I see it." She said. Kindra came out and looked at them.

"The bath is ready, if you could bring her in?" Kindra said. Bellatrix nodded. She picked Hermione off of the bed and carried her into the bathroom. She set Hermione onto the side of the bathtub, and helped her out of her nightgown. She then lifted her and set her into the tub. Bellatrix gritted her teeth when her skin touched the water.

"Must that water be so bloody _hot!?!?!_" Bellatrix asked.

"Yes." Hermione said, her head leaning back against the side of the tub, her eyes closed. "It feels wonderful." Bellatrix looked at her like she was nuts. She then looked at Kindra who just shrugged.

_**A/N: I am *so* sorry for how long it's been!!! I've been piled under so much school work and stuff at home and everything else.**_

_**I hoped you liked it, Please Review!!**_

_**At the same time I'm posting this chapter, I am also posting the next chapter to Their Love. If you haven't read it, please do! It's a Semione ( of course).**_

_**Again, PLEASE REVIEW!!!**_


	17. Queen Hermione

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but what is mine. Rest is the wonderful imagination of J. K. Rowling.**

_**  
**_Chapter Seventeen

Queen Hermione

Kindra beamed as Hermione walked out of the bathroom.

"You look like a princess." Kindra said, her hands clasped under her chin.

"Really? I was aiming for more of a Queen look." Hermione said, looking down at her clothing. Kindra laughed.

"That fits too!" Kindra said. Hermione smiled. She walked up to the floor length mirror. She smiled at her reflection.

She was wearing a floor length gown of an emerald green; the hemming was of silver serpents that moved around the garment. It was slender and the bodice hugged her top. The bodice ended in a triangle between her hip bones. The skirt flowed out from under it. The neck line of her dress was low, and so showed a bit more cleavage than she was used to, yet it made the effect, somehow, even grander. The sleeves hugged her upper arms and flared out just above her elbows and fell, elegantly past her hands. Her hair was curled beautifully – no longer bushy –the top part of it had been pinned up to the back of her head and then let fall down gracefully down her back with the rest of her hair. Two curls gracefully framed her face which had been made over, and now looked almost heavenly. There were emerald and silver sheer veils attached to her hair, and flowing down it. There were emeralds, diamonds, and pieces of onyx sewed into the veils. The earrings were silver, the sides going down and out in lines to end a tiny bit past the group of three gems – emerald, diamond, and onyx. They were twinkling beautifully in the light. The necklace upon her neck started from her collar bone, and ended between her breasts, meeting the fabric of the dress. It was made of thin silver chains that were a half-centimeter apart, and had emeralds, diamonds, and onyx staggered through it, connecting the different chains. She smiled as she saw the tips of the emerald heels she was wearing.

"So, Kindra." Hermione asked as Kindra fixed her hair some.

"Yes?"

"What does the ceremony involve?" Hermione asked.

"I can't say I know. This is the first of its kind." She said.

"I see. I thought he would've laid out what was to happen a long time ago, in case it _did_ happen." Hermione said. "Talk about poor planning." Kindra giggled. There was a knock on the door.

"Miss Hermione, are you ready?" Jax called form the other side of the door. Hermione smiled at her reflection and sighed.

"Ready as I'll ever be." She said just loud enough for him to hear. He chuckled.

"Then may I come in?" He asked.

"Of course." Hermione said. The door opened and Jax walked in and stood at the door, his hand still on the knob, and looked at her.

"Wow, Miss Hermione. You look absolutely magnificent." Jax said. "I think right now, even the most stuck up pureblood would fall at your feet wantin' you." Hermione chuckled softly.

"Let's hope so, Jax, let's hope so. I need them to except me as their queen, and I need them to be open to me. Otherwise, this won't work." Hermione said, being careful not to say too much in front of Kindra. Hermione knew she wasn't loyal to the Malfoy's, but was she loyal to Voldemort, or any of the others? She followed Jax out of the room and down the hall to her undefined future.

* * *

Jax took her to a garden. There a worn down boot was sitting on the edge of the fountain. Hermione knew exactly what it was. The portkey that would take them to the ceremony. She walked up to it and looked at Jax.

"Two minutes." He said. "You will arrive exactly in time to walk up and get branded. You will arrive on a path. You will walk along the path and reach the crowd of Death Eaters. You will continue to walk until you are in front of a blazing emerald fire. You will walk around the _left_ side of the fire. There you will meet the Dark Lord. He will tell you what you accept by being branded. He will ask you questions and you _must_ answer them to his approval. He will then brand you – _do __**not**_ make a sound during this process. If you do, it will show you as weak and unable to fulfill the rule you plan to undertake."

"I've undergone the cruciatus without a peep. I think a branding will be the same." She said.

"Wrong. He will insert your arm into the fire, and the fire will _dig_ into your skin burning the mark into you very _bone_. It is so much more painful than the cruciatus curse." He said. She sucked in her breath.

"Just another form of pain – easy." She said. Jax looked at her unsure, but then continued.

"You will then stand at the right side of the Dark Lord. You will then bare witness to the other brandings. You will stay silent and not interfere with any of the tests. If you behave well he shall take off the amulet."

"Tests? What tests?"

"There are certain tests that the wizards and witches must perform and pass to become one of us. If they fail – they die. You must _not_ interfere with _any_ of this. You may even be asked to kill one your self to prove your allegiance." He said. Hermione swallowed bile and nodded, biting on the inside of her lip. Suddenly the boot started glowing; she reached out and grabbed it.

"Remember my instructions and _behave!!!_" Were the last things she heard Jax say before the whooshing of air deafened her to everything. Suddenly she landed. She quickly thrust at the ground with magic to keep from falling and ruining her gown. After she had stabled, she looked and saw a green glow a distance off. She walked toward it. As she drew nearer, she saw breaks in the green glow and realized that they must be the shadows of the Death Eaters and the soon-to-be Death Eaters. She continued walking – she could see individual flames now. She walked up to the fire – the Death Eaters parted before her. She heard murmurs of appraisal about her. She kept the smile off her face as her appearance had exactly the look she had intended. She walked around the left side of the fire, and up in front of Voldemort. He smiled a twisted smile down upon her, his red eyes reflecting the green of the fire.

"Standing before us," He spoke not to her, but to the others. "Is the only elemental in existence today." Gasps rang throughout the crowd, followed immediately by murmurs. After a few seconds, Voldemort held up his hand, and a silence fell over the crowd. "She has agreed to join our number tonight, well, my number. She shall rule over you all along side of me. She will be the Dark Queen," There were several gasps, several exclamations, and more murmuring heard from the crowd. He held his hand up again. Silence fell immediately. "_If_ she passes tonight, she will be ruling over you. And when she does, you will do as she says just as you do as I say. Of course, I will still have ultimate say over everything, but you will do well to obey her. If I find other wise, you shall be punished. Satisfactory?" He asked.

"I am fully capable of taking care of those who oppose me by myself, thank you." She said. The crowd murmured. Bella smiled, expecting him to punish Hermione for her rudeness. Instead he chuckled at her. Bella's eyes went wide.

"Good. I'd hate to have a queen who could no tend for herself." He said. Bella glowered. "Now. You will have to take a test. Three, in fact." He said. Hermione's mind stuttered. _The questions, the marking, what else? What else will I have to do?_ She wondered. She swallowed unnoticeably.

"Of course." She said, in a calm, even tone of authority. Bella and several other death eaters shivered in anger.

"Good. Now, Hermione. Tell me – why do you wish to become on of us?" He asked her. She looked him in the eye.

"Because I don't see why I should help a bunch of ungrateful idiots who are fighting a war that has no end. Why should I work with people who don't value me? Who don't care about me except as a tool to try to win? Who will shove me off onto someone else as soon as the option arises? They left me for over a month to fend for myself. They didn't look for me, they didn't wonder about me – nothing. When I got back to them, they sent me away again. After all the things I've done for them – they amount to nothing. They repay me with foul tings. Yes – I thought they were on the right side – but now I see there are no right and wrong sides. There are only the sides of: you're used and tossed away like a tissue, or you work with a team for the cause, and you are appreciated. I choose the later." She said.

"So if you switched sides that easily, what's to say you won't do it again?" He asked.

"As long as you make me happy here, I've no reason to leave." She said.

"'And to make you happy we would-?" He asked.

"Respect me, value me, and treat me as you would have me treat you." She said. "Along with making sure I have my necessities, and freedom." She said. He nodded.

"Very well. Now. To test and make sure that you are worthy to be one of us, you will have to go through three tests." He said.

_What!?! Three!?!? You mean the questions weren't one of them!?!?!_ She thought in panic, keeping her face straight and calm. He nodded to her.

"Your first test will be thus," He said, and waved behind him. When she looked she fought hard to keep from gasping. Gagged and tied to a chair was Austin Marsworthy – one of the newer members of the Order of the Phoenix. He was barely out of school, and very set in the cause of the Order. His blonde hair was speckled with dry blood, his clean pristine porcelain face marred by a black eye, and split lip, and a cut along his left cheek bone. His light mint green eyes were wide with fear and confusion as he saw her. "You must kill him." Voldemort said.

"One who's done me no wrong." Hermione stated.

"Are you too weak to do it, _mudblood_?" Bella asked. Hermione spun on her foot, thrust her right hand out at Bellatrix. She flew back twenty feet as a thick jet of blue green light hit her chest. She went flying through other death eaters until she hit the ground.

"What part of _respect_ do you not get, Lestrange?" Hermione asked. Bella stood up, and started to run at Hermione. Lucius got in front of her, stopping her in her tracks.

"Careful Bella – you heard the Dark Lord." He said.

"And me as well. Again, I am fully capable of taking care of those who oppose me. If need comes to it, I will silence them – _permanently._" Hermione said venomously. Bella snarled.

"Bellatrix, I suggest you keep to yourself for the night." Voldemort hissed. "Least you be punished for impudence." Bella shut up. He nodded. "Good. Now. You claim to be able to take care of those who oppose you permanently, yet you won't kill him."

"Oh, I will take care of those who oppose me, but that's only because they've wronged me. I've only seen this man once before – when he joined the Order. He's done nothing to me." Hermione said.

"But you just said it – he's in the Order. And the Order has wronged you. Thereby, _he_ has wronged you." Voldemort said.

"I never said the Order. I just said people. Not specifying the Order, or any group in particular. Just the people I did my best to help and who – in turn – tossed me away like a used napkin. There are some in the Order – such as Austin here – who has not wronged me. Granted he hasn't been a friend to me either – but that's no reason for me to kill him." Hermione said. "I may want to join your ranks, but that doesn't mean I am without honour, integrity, or moral." She said. He chuckled.

"Well, you are of strong opinion anyway. Very firm in your beliefs. Powerful and very true to your word as far as I see." Voldemort said.

"Indeed I am." She said. He chuckled.

"Fine. He'll wait for the next. Your second test is to take care of a problem of mine. Someone you've probably met before." Voldemort said. A couple of death eaters walked up, dragging another one that had been bound and gagged. Hermione raised her eyebrow when she saw who it was. Wormtail was being dragged into the fire light. He saw her and whimpered. She stared at him for a bit – his eyes were wide with fear. His silver hand seemed to have been frozen so it couldn't move. She watched as he was forced to his knees.

"You, my dear," Voldemort said, taking Hermione's hand in his. "Will take care of my problem – permanently." He said, examining her face. She took a deep breath and nodded.

"Wand?" She asked.

"Oh no. No, no, no. You won't be using magic." He said. He walked behind her, allowing her hand to drop by her side. "You will be using your powers." He said. He slowly, gently swept her hair off to the side, and his fingers gently swept her skin as he went to unclasp her necklace. Goosebumps followed his touch. She suppressed a shiver as his hands finally left her skin, removing the amulet. She took a deep breath, as if she suddenly felt her powers come back to her. Voldemort walked back in front of her, and gestured toward Wormtail. Hermione looked at him, her eyes cold and distant. He cowered.

"Hardly the challenge." Hermione sniffed. She raised a hand at him.

"Well?" Voldemort asked after a few moments of her just standing like that.

"Untie him." She said.

"What?"

"Untie him. I'd like my opponents to have a fair chance to defend themselves." Hermione said. Voldemort looked at her for a second. Then nodded to the nearest Death Eater to do as she had said. He walked up and untied Wormtail. Wormtail scampered to his feet. Hermione looked at his silver hand.

"Surely you don't want his silver hand working." Voldemort said.

"Why not." She said. He sighed.

"I'd think you were just stalling, Hermione." He said in a dangerous voice. She rolled her eyes.

"Do you want a Queen who can only prove herself against defenseless victims? Or a Queen who can take out a challenger who is at a seeming advantage?" She asked. He raised an eyebrow at her. He then waved his hand, and Wormtail's hand jumped into life. He looked at Hermione, and then tried to run past her. The other Death Eaters closed in to stop him. She waited until he was next to her, grabbed his arm and flipped him. He hit the ground with a thud and an 'oomph'. She waited until he got up. Once he was standing, she pulled her right hand back, and thrust it at him. A concentrated, strong burst of wind smacked him in his gut and sent him flying twenty yards away. She glared at her dress. Suddenly the skirt ripped half way down her thigh, and the bottom fell around her feet. Males among the crowd cheered and cat-called. She paid them no mind, and stepped out of her heels. She them proceeded to were Wormtail was trying to stand up. He saw her, jumped up and ran. She thrust her right hand down until it hit the ground, her knee bending so her butt wouldn't be in the air. The ground shook as the force of the impact rolled through it. Suddenly the ground in front of Wormtail flew up, sending him flying back towards her. He flew over her head to land in the middle of where the Death Eaters had moved to so they could better watch the spectacle. Some of them were smirking at him, others murmuring, and others still looking at her in silent fear and admiration. She raised her arm out towards him, clenched her open hand into a fist, and slowly brought it back to her body. The ground underneath him raised up until it had forced him onto his feet. He faced her, fear apparent on his face. He was pale, and he shook.

"Fight me, Wormtail!" Hermione called. "I have given away your bounds, and returned you hand. Not so you could flee, but so you could fight. You want to escape with your life, you must fight me for it. Come coward! Come and face up to your misdoings! Being the cause for the deaths of innocent people! For the misery of many! You shall face your reward for that which you have done!" He glared at her. "FIGHT ME, YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF SCUM!!" She screamed at him. That did it. He ran at her, his silver hand ready to strangle her. She didn't move. Suddenly she swung her right leg in front of her left, brought to up and kicked his hand away. She jumped as her leg came down, and brought her other leg up to kick him in the head. He dodged it, and grabbed her ankle with his silver hand. He twisted it, broke it, and caused her to stop spinning and spin the other way, quite painfully. She yelped as she fell to the ground. She struggled to get her breath back. She felt Wormtail get closer to her. Suddenly she thrust at the ground, and she soared into the air as Wormtail's gleaming hand closed on air. She stopped the current of air that had her soaring. She fell a few feet before fire thrust from her hands. It held her in the air while streaming at Wormtail. He screamed as it came at him. It flew into his open mouth and down his throat, cooking him from the inside out. His screams were horrible screeches that pierced the air and imposed on everyone's ear drums. Wormtail got fatter and fatter as the flames filled him. Suddenly there was a loud 'POP' as he exploded. She stopped the torrent of fire, and slowly lowered herself to the ground. She looked at his remains. She shook her head, and turned back to the Death Eaters. Voldemort was forefront of the bunch. He was smiling at her with malice in his eyes. He held her with eyes that reveled in her violence. He marveled in her power, and cherished her kill as a mother would a new born child. She shook her head quickly and shortly to either side to get the hair out of her face. She put a content, superior smirk on her face and walked towards him.

"Well?" She asked. He smiled.

"Just one more test, my dear." He said, and gestured back to the fire. Hermione took a deep breath and walked towards the fire. He turned and walked just a bit behind her. They stopped in front of the fire. He held out his hand. She obediently began to raise her left hand. He shook his head. She lowered it and placed her right hand in his. He smiled.

"Very good, love." He said. He ran his hand under her sleeve, pushing it up her arm. He looked at her arm as he might a juicy, tender steak. "So beautiful. So clean, smooth, innocent." He said, and smiled up at her. She looked at him with no expression on her face. He smiled.

He took his fore finger and drew a pattern on her forearm. Black ink flowed from his finger to her skin. When he was finished a brilliantly drawn rose with a snake wrapped around it was on her arm. He then smiled at her, he held onto her arm as he walked closer to her, and more towards her back. He kept his right hand on her elbow, and his left arm around her waist. He smiled at her, and then put her arm into the fire. Hermione had enough time to cast a freezing spell on her face before the pain hit.

It was horrible. Almost – practically unbearable. She wanted to scream and shriek and pull back – but she couldn't. Not only would the freezing charm not allow her, but if she did, Voldemort would have her killed – if he could manage it.

After what seemed like an eternity, he brought her arm out of the fire. The black ink glowed bright. It then died down and showed a _coloured_ version of the drawing he had made. It had been burned into her arm – deeper than a tattoo could ever go. Voldemort smiled at her. Hermione quickly released the freezing charm, and smiled back at him, her smile honestly triumphant – she had made it.

"Welcome, Queen Hermione." He said, holding her right hand gently in his and bowing. The Death Eaters followed suit. He turned her slightly to face the Death Eaters. They straightened one by one. Someone started clapping. Two more followed, and suddenly all the Death Eaters were clapping and cheering. Hermione felt her face light up with embarrassment and pride – she had made it. She had passed. She was not going to die. She was going to see Severus again – if all kept going well.

_**A/N: So sorry about the delay, guys!! My baby is still getting settled…and for that matter I'm still getting used to having a baby…lol.**_

_**I promise you I'm working on my stories!! I really am!! I hope to have another chapter posted soon – PLEASE BEAR WITH ME!!! Please review! **_

_**All my love,**_

_**~Neka**_


	18. Settling into Her Kingdom

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but what is mine. Rest is the wonderful imagination of J. K. Rowling.**

_****__**Chapter Eighteen**_

_**Settling into Her Kingdom**_

Hermione walked around her room, rubbing her palm up and down over her right sleeve, trying to refrain from attempting to scratch it off. She paced around her room, restless.

"Will you sit down?" Jax asked from where he was leaning against the wall by the doors leading to the porch.

"How can I?" Hermione asked, falling into one of the chairs anyway. "Seriously! My nerves are racked!"

"What?" He laughed.

"You know, the muggle expression? 'This is nerve racking?'" She prompted him. He nodded. "Well, my nerves are racked." She said.

"The ceremony is over! Everything went just fine! What is there to be nerve racked about?" He asked her.

"Trial by bonfire may be over, but trial by forest-fire has just begun." She said.

"How's that?" Kindra asked from the bed.

"I made it through the ceremony, sure." Hermione said.

"But now she has to prove to the Death Eaters that she is _worthy_ of the title and that she will lead them truly. They have to know that they can trust her. She was branded on a small, tame fire. The Death Eaters are not tame, nor will their furry be small if she does one thing wrong." Jax explained.

"Ooh…Ouch. I see what you mean." Kindra said, her right hand shifting on her left ankle that was on the bed. Her left hand stretched out behind her, allowing her to recline a bit. Hermione nodded. She looked down at the torn, burned and dirty skirt.

"I want to get out of this and cleaned up a bit." Hermione said.

"I'll take this as my cue to leave." Jax said. Hermione smiled at him, standing up.

"Thank you Jax. If it's alright with you, I'd like to ask Voldemort for you to be assigned to me. A body guard of sorts." She said. He smiled.

"I'd like that Miss Hermione." He said.

"Please, drop the 'Miss' while we're in privet." Hermione said.

"Of course…Hermione." He said. She smiled.

"You can come back in a half hour or so. With dinner, please." He laughed.

"Alright." And with that he left. Hermione stood up as Kindra went into the bathroom to get water running.

"I would prefer a shower tonight, Kindra, if you don't mind." She called when she heard the tub water running.

"Alright Hermione!" She called. Hermione walked over to her dresser and got out her bathrobe. She began pulling her dress off when someone knocked on the door.

"Just a second." She called through the door. She took off her dress, wrapped her robe securely around her, tied it, and answered the door. She smiled, and opened the door wider to allow entrance for Voldemort. He walked in, and took a look at her room.

"Well, it's decent…for an underling. I shall have your room redone and fit for a queen in a few days." He said.

"Oh, there's no need for that, it's perfectly fine." Hermione said.

"Oh no, this will not do for my Queen. Your room, and your wardrobe will be fit for a Queen, and I shall make sure of it." He said.

"If I had clothes only for a Queen, then how do you expect me to spy on the Order?" She asked him.

"I…_never_ told you that. Where did you get such an idea?" Hermione cursed herself.

"I just figured that you would use me for that. After all, they trust me. As far as they know, I am safe, learning from my elemental teacher how to use my new abilities." She said. "I am the ideal person to spy on them – Harry and Ron's best friend, trusted by all in the order. None of them would suspect me as a spy. None of them would think that I'd be in this position. As a prisoner of you and your Death Eaters? Sure. Queen of the Death Eaters? Oh no, that would never make their list of guesses or inquiries. Why would you pass up such the perfect chance to learn your enemies moves the way they seem to know yours?" Hermione asked. He looked at her with a calculating gaze. He then smiled at her.

"You're mind is a smart one, love." He said. "And you have good points. Very well, you shall be my spy." He said. He looked from her robe to the bathroom where he could hear running water.

"Well, I shall leave you to bathe, then, shall I?" He asked. Hermione smiled at him.

"That would be nice." She said.

"Good night, my dear. I will see you tomorrow." He said. He placed his hand at the nape of her neck and kissed her forehead. He smiled at her again and then left. Hermione walked into the bathroom, dropped her robe, and stepped into the shower, scrubbing everywhere Voldemort had touched her until it was raw.

Hermione walked out of her room, Jax leading her down the stairs and to the dinning room. She paused when she walked in, taking in who was there.

"Good Morning, _Queen_ Hermione. I welcome you to my breakfast table." Lucius said, standing up and smiling at her.

"Oh knock it off, Lucius. All of us here know that none of you are going to welcome me, so you can drop the charade." Hermione said, waving her hand as if brushing it off. "Voldemort isn't here right now, you don't have to play nice."

"Good. Because there's no way in hell I'm going to play nice with a –"

"Watch your words Lestrange. I said you didn't have to play nice – not that you can call me names. Call me a mudblood, and Lucius will have a nice hole in his wall." Hermione calmly said, going to sit down. Bellatrix glared at her.

"A little brat like you." She finished her sentence.

"Nice save." Hermione said, sitting down.

"You think you can come in here, manipulate your way into our Lord's good graces, become our queen, and order us around like a bunch of house elves!" She demanded. "I will _not_ stand for it!" Her fist hit the table with finality.

"No, I don't. And I'm glad you won't – you'd be a very poor Death Eater otherwise." Hermione said, unfolding her napkin and setting it on her lap.

"Do you think I care what you think? Do you think I care what you say or do?" She demanded.

"What I think? No. What I say? Sometimes. What I do? Oh yes. You care about that, _very_ much." Hermione started putting scrambled eggs onto her plate. "If you didn't, you wouldn't be confronting me like this."

"Who are you! You come in here, a good little girl under _Dumbledore's_ thumb, a child of the _Order_, and you become our _Queen?_ You become the Queen of the _Death Eaters?_ After watching us murder your parents, after being chased halfway across the world by us, and being kidnapped from your friends, you become one of us? You become our ruler? And you're _fine with it?_ You sit there, eating and talking as if you're discussing dinner plans with a friend!" Bellatrix yelled. Hermione chewed her sausage carefully and swallowed before she spoke.

"I am fully aware of what has been done, Bellatrix." Hermione said, cutting her sausage into more bitable sizes. She inserted one into her mouth, chewed it slowly, swallowed it, and poured herself some orange juice. After she had taken a sip of it, she looked up at Bellatrix. "Everyone has their own reasons for their actions, Bellatrix."

"And yours bode no good for our cause, or the Dark Lord." Bellatrix growled back.

"If you wish to know my intentions or my reasons, Bellatrix, all you must do is ask. I've nothing to hide from you, the other Death Eaters, _or_ Voldemort." Hermione said, taking a bite of her eggs.

"Why did you join us?" One of the new Death Eaters timidly asked. He shrank into his seat as her gaze fell on him. She swallowed her eggs.

"Portman, right?" He nodded. She offered him a tiny and quick smile that the others missed. "The people I was around before – the Order of the Phoenix – underappreciated me. All of my hard work was taken for granted, along with my knowledge. They didn't try very hard – or even hard for that matter – to find me when my parents were killed, and I was half way across the continent. And when it was brought out that I was an elemental, they had me shipped off somewhere for me to be a burden to someone else." Hermione was cringing inwardly at the twisted quarter truths. She prayed they would find it within themselves to forgive her.

"So you turn tail at first chance. You think we're going to be so stupid as to think you won't to us?" Bellatrix demanded.

"No. Not at all. You'd be idiots if you did." She said. She took a bite of her sausage and eggs while watching the table of intent Death Eaters

"So how do you plan to convince us?" Michael Bardwell asked, leaning forward in his seat.

"I don't plan to convince anyone. I plan to _be_ convinced." She said. "I don't have to prove my loyalty. That will come on its own accord. You all, and Voldemort, have to prove to _me_ that I _should_ be loyal. That you want me here. Hence why I am now your Queen. Voldemort believes me an infallible key to this war, and wants me here with him, so he has proved to me he wants me here. It's your turn now." She said and took another bite.

"Excuse me? You want _us_ to _prove_ we want filth like you among us?" Bellatrix asked, indignant.

"Well, that'd be the easy way. The other way is this: I stay here whether you want me to or not. It'd be best for all concerned, however, if you at least _act_ like you want me here. If you don't, and we don't get along, it'll just be hard on all of us." She said simply she ate her last bite of food, and then finished her orange juice. She stood up, and looked at them all. "We can either be open enemies, or face value friends. Either is fine with me, the later, however, is smiled upon by my Lord." She said. With that, she left.


End file.
